


Like Forces

by Scarletbelle87



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Drama, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, Eventual Sex, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Friends With Benefits, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Language, Light Angst, Minor Violence, Romance, Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-08
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2018-04-25 10:23:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 32
Words: 94,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4956667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scarletbelle87/pseuds/Scarletbelle87
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A woman falls into Kaiba's company bringing with her memories of old and enemies he would rather forget. The attraction between them builds but will he be able to deny the one person who truly understands or will he take the risk?</p>
<p>Updates every Saturday</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Woman With Green Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> Hi All, I am Scarletbelle87 of fanfiction.net. My stories that appear here will appear there as well. I love writing about Kaiba so I hope you guys enjoy this. Please read and review... I love hearing what my readers think :)
> 
> NB: Please note that I do not own YuGiOh or the characters therein except for my own plot and characters. Any similarities to anyone alive or dead is purely coincidental.

It was a normal day at the office for Seto Kaiba so far. The 28 year old was as busy as a young CEO of a huge multinational company would be. It was almost lunch time and with the morning having been filled with back to back meetings, he was looking forward to the break. As was the daily routine, Mokuba, Kaiba's younger brother and vice president of Kaiba Corp, entered through the heavy wooden doors into his office.

"Hey bro. You ready?" Mokuba asked.

"Yeah." He picked up his coat and left the office.

Mokuba and Kaiba stepped out into the glorious sunshine that bathed Domino City. They stepped off the curb just as Roland, Kaiba's driver, got into their town car to take the two brothers to their usual lunch spot.

Just then a black panel van caught Kaiba's attention. It swerved around the corner with screeching tyres and he could clearly see through the front windscreen that there was a scuffle taking place in the van. The van swerved this way and that, the driver trying to maintain control despite the chaos ensuing inside.

The van was about pass by the brothers but the door slid open with force and out tumbled a woman who landed heavily at Kaiba's feet. She looked up through her mess of raven hair at piercing blue eyes.

Kaiba bent down to assist the woman but Mokuba was immediately at her side helping her. She looked at them with the frightened eyes of a doe and tried to push away but Mokuba's grip was firm.

"You shouldn't try to get up miss. You took quite a spill."

"Please don't hurt me." She said.

"Why would I hurt you?" Mokuba replied.

"Roland!" Kaiba called. "We need to get this woman medical assistance."

"Yes sir. Shall I call an ambulance?"

"No." said Mokuba. "She was obviously trying to get away from someone. A hospital may not be safe."

"Mokuba, we know nothing about her."

"So?" Mokuba turned to his brother, "I'm not suggesting taking her home; just somewhere private." He then turned to her and gently asked, "Do you think you can stand?"

She nodded to him that she could. There was something about him she felt she could trust.

Kaiba looked at Mokuba helping the woman, a woman. He always admired Mokuba's readiness to help those in need even though he would never express it. He would let Mokuba do what he felt was necessary but would make sure that he was safe doing so.

"Roland, call the Domino Park Hotel and book a suite. Tell them we'll be there in a few minutes." Kaiba ordered. "Mokuba we need to get her in the car. Before we get a crowd."

"Yeah, you're right." Mokuba gently helped the woman to her feet and walked her to the car. "C'mon in you go." Once he was sure she was in properly, he buckled her in and closed the door.

He climbed in on the other side of the car just as Kaiba got into the front seat. Roland started up the car and drove off in the direction of the luxurious Domino hotel.

Kaiba looked at the woman through the rear-view mirror. She had a faraway look in her bright green eyes. Her ebony black hair was unruly and matted. Her skin was fair and her body slender. She had a strong jaw line but her face appeared gaunt. Wherever she was, if she was held, was somewhere where they had not fed her much. She wore a dirty, stained white knee length tunic and her feet were bare.

Kaiba realized that if they walked into the hotel with her looking like that, they would really set chins wagging. He shrugged off his long purple coat and handed it to Mokuba.

"Here, put this on her. We can't walk in with her looking like that."

"There is a baseball cap behind your headrest Mr. Mokuba. You could hide her hair with that."

Both Kaiba and Mokuba looked at Roland questioningly. "I don't always dress in suits sir." He smiled awkwardly.

The woman could barely process all that was happening. She felt incredibly lucky that these strangers were helping her but she did not know how long her luck would hold out for.

"Here's what we are going to do. Roland you will go check in for us while we remain in the car. If they ask you how long we are staying, book it for a week. Once you have the room key, you will drive us into the hotel garage and park at the highest floor shortening the period in which we may be seen. Once we are in the room, I want you to call a doctor here. Pay him what you have to Roland, we need the doctor's discretion. Are we clear?"

"Yes sir."

"Once the doctor has been we can get some food into her and answers out."

Kaiba's plan worked like clockwork and soon they were entering the suite at the hotel with no one having seen them. Mokuba seated the woman on the couch and delicately removed the cap she wore.

"Roland make the call." Kaiba ordered.

"Yes sir." He responded pulling the phone out of his jacket pocket. He quickly spoke to the receptionist then the doctor and passed on the details of their whereabouts. "Sir, he will be here in 20minutes." He informed Kaiba.

"Good." Kaiba replied as he opened a soda that he got out of the bar fridge and handed one to Mokuba who was making a call to reception.

"Good day. I would like you to bring up a toiletry set to the Park Suite please." Mokuba requested in a call to reception. They informed him that it would be delivered momentarily; he thanked them and hung up.

The woman still looked like a frightened deer so Kaiba thought it best to hold back the questions until later. This whole incident had taken him away from his usual routine, he knew that he would end up working late into the night but he would not let Mokuba handle this situation on his own. He was not yet sure if he wanted them to be involved yet or not.

Finally, the doctor arrived with a knock at the door. Roland ushered him in.

"Hello." The doctor greeted, shaking hands with Roland then Mokuba. "I'm doctor Eldrich." He then turned to greet Kaiba who was his usual cold self.

"Look I don't have much time so if you could get on with this, I would appreciate it."

The doctor nodded and made his way to the woman sitting on the couch.

"My! Dear what has happened to you?!" The doctor exclaimed as he took a look at her. "I think it best if we examined you in the room." He said as he led her to one of the bedrooms that led off the living area.

The doctor was gone a while. Kaiba sat impatiently, waiting for them to immerge. Mokuba paced the room while Roland looked out the window.

After what seemed like ages, the two of them re-entered the room.

"Well, I'm not sure what's going on here but this woman has been through a great deal. There isn't a whole lot I can prescribe apart from electrolytes for the dehydration and anti-inflammatory painkillers. She also needs to get some proper nutrition. I suggest we start with a shower and a meal. Nothing hectic, basic food like chicken soup, vegetables that sort of thing should be fine."

"What about her injuries when she fell out onto the road? She took quite a spill." Mokuba enquired.

"She did and there is superficial bruising. Nothing to be worried about."

"Thank you doc." Mokuba said shaking his hand. "Here's my card. Please forward the bill to me."

"Will do. Good afternoon gentlemen."'

Roland saw the doctor out and Mokuba handed her the hotel toiletry pack. "There are towels and a robe in the bathroom."

She quickly but quietly took the pack from him. The solace the bathroom provided was welcoming. She stepped into the hot steaming shower and scrubbed her fair skin clean. She washed her hair and scrubbed her teeth. It felt great to be clean. To wash away the weeks of her ordeal. The woman staring back at her in the mirror looked like her but different. She looked thinner than she ever had but the biggest difference was the dead look of her eyes. She towel dried her hair, combed it through and dressed in the robe.

She could not believe that she had fallen into the path of Seto and Mokuba Kaiba and they had been good to her even though they had no reason to be. She also knew that they would want answers and it was only fair that she provided them. She braced herself and walked out into the living area.

"How do you feel?" Mokuba asked as she took her seat on the sofa.

"Better, thank you." She responded softly.

She was able to speak now and Kaiba thought it was time he stepped in. If Mokuba was to help this woman any further, he needed to know what risks were attached.

"Do you know who we are?" Kaiba asked her in his low growl of a voice.

"Yes." She replied.

"Well then, you need to start talking because whether you meant to or not, you have dragged Mokuba and I into something with you and I need to know what that is. I need to know if we help you or leave you here."

"I understand."

"Seto!" Mokuba interjected.

"No Mokuba. She could be involved in something that we don't want any part of."

"But Seto-"

"No Mokuba."

"He's right. I'll answer any question you ask."

"Good." Kaiba replied. "Firstly, who are you?"

"My name is Lara. Lara von Schroeder."

 


	2. Sibling Rivalry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in this story Kaiba won't be as aggressive as he is in the series because he's a bit older and Mokuba is an adult. I've always thought that adult Mokuba would be the calm in his life. Also, I read that Kaiba is 6"1 and Mokuba as an adult is 6"5, so I'm going to run with that :) Hope you guys enjoy...

"Von Schroeder?" Kaiba said menacingly.

"Yes. Von Schroeder." She replied. "I know what you are thinking and just hear me out."

"I'm listening but your time is running out."

"I am the half-sister of Zigfried and Leon. Same father, different mothers. My mother died when I was two so I have no memory of her. I grew up with Zig and Leon in the same house. It wasn't easy because all time and energy was spent trying to get Zig ready to take over Schroeder Corp."

"This sounds like what Leon told us all those years ago." Mokuba said.

"That's because we have similar tales, but where Leon vied for Zig's attention, I couldn't give a rat's ass. Let's just say we aren't overly fond of one another."

"And yet you are a Schroeder and grew up with the man. I am correct in assuming you also work at Schroeder Corp?" Kaiba responded.

"Yes, I do. But we don't work closely at all. I barely see him. Our father wanted me in the company but Zig wanted me nowhere near his role. I was only just starting my studies when our father died. Zig and I don't even live in the same town but it does bother him that I am in the company."

"And why is that?" Kaiba growled.

"Because I am not a "real" Schroeder." She said using her fingers as parentheses.

"So how did you come to be in Domino City?"

"Well, I was at HQ in Germany. I head up the PR and marketing department. I had meetings to attend and saw Zig for the first time in a month and a half. I left the building and was walking towards the café when I got a call saying that there was an opportunity to show off our new product in Domino but had to get here ASAP. This has happened before so I thought nothing of it and boarded the next plane out. When I landed I took a call-a-cab to the address but found no one there. Thinking I got the address wrong I took a walk to the nearest coffee shop but before I even got there I bumped into someone and felt a jab in my neck. Everything went black very quickly."

"So you walked into a trap. Who would want to hurt you and why?" Kaiba asked bluntly.

"They wanted Zig. I've always known he had ties with some unsavoury characters." Lara pulled her gown tighter around her, protecting herself from what she was about to say next. "They took me to some sort of abandoned building. I was bound to a chair and a sack was pulled off my head. They wanted Zig. I was a means to an end. Clearly they don't know much or they would have known taking me meant nothing to him. I was held there for weeks. There was a call and then they decided to move me to another location. That's when I escaped. I still don't know what they would have wanted from Zig. I need to get a hold of him."

"But why would they bring you all the way to Domino? I know that Zigfried has no ties to this city. He hasn't had any for years. I made sure of that." Kaiba said.

"I don't know. It doesn't make sense. At the same time you can't control the underworld even if you are Seto Kaiba." She said quietly.

"You said Zigfried didn't want you in the company." Mokuba interjected.

"Yeah that's right."

Kaiba looked at Mokuba, thinking the same thing. "You have a point Mokuba."

"It makes sense bro."

"Yeah it does. He had no issue sending Leon into the firing line all those years ago." Kaiba said pensively.

"What are you two thinking?" Lara asked.

"You know exactly what. You seem bright enough. Piece it together. Zigfried doesn't want you around. Not in the family or the company. You have a meeting with him and suddenly you are told to travel across the world to a town where no one wants to do any business with him, for a "client". You are taken, held for weeks and no one does anything. Then, why would they suddenly move you if no one knew where you were?"

"You think Zig got them to get rid of me?"

"It's convenient." Kaiba replied.

"Call him." Mokuba said handing her his phone. "Feel him out. You never know."

"I agree with Mokuba." Kaiba growled.

"Just sound like you already know what he's done." Mokuba suggested.

"Okay." With that she took the offered phone, dialled the number and waited for Zigfreid to answer. After the fifth ring an arrogant, over accented voice answered. Lara put the phone on speaker.

"Hello, zis is Zigfried."

"Hi Zig." Lara responded.

"Lara! Vot a relief it is to hear your voice."

"Cut the crap Zig. Did you want me out of the company that bad that you had your minions try to take me out?"

"Lara I don't know vot you are talking about." He said with faux innocence.

"Really?! You sent me to Domino. Conveniently this happens to be Kaiba's town. I wonder what should happen if a Von Schroeder is attacked or killed in the town Kaiba practically owns."

Zigfreid chuckled with ill hid pride and the amusement was evident in his voice. "You know you are a pain in my side but I zink zat you are a very clever girl. It would have been nice to have herr Kaiba out of ze way."

"And me? Do you detest me so much that you would kill me?"

"Not me personally. But our fazer made a mistake, I don't zink zat our family should pay for zat."

"You know if you were a grown-up we could have spoken about this. I will send you my resignation. I will never forget this Zigfried."

"You are cute Lara." Zigfried chuckled and ended the call.

"What an ass!" She exploded. "I went through hell for two fucking weeks!" Lara paced the living area unable to properly control her ire. "It's one thing to hate a person but this! This is something else altogether!"

"What are you going to do?" Mokuba asked gently.

"I don't know." She flopped back down onto the couch pressing her fingers to her temples. Between the rage and the dehydration she could barely see straight. Her head threatened to split in two and she trembled.

"I need to call Leon. He needs to know that I am not coming back. I'm going to have to figure things out."

"Can Zigfried financially cripple you?" Kaiba asked.

"No. Not at all."

"Good. You will need to plan your next move carefully. Zigfried is a cunning animal."

"Yes he is."

"I have a question." Mokuba broke the silence that had descended upon the room. "Why do you and Zigfried sound so entirely different?"

"I was sent to boarding school because the relationship between Zig and I was far too venomous. That was when I was thirteen up until I graduated. Then I obtained my degree in the states and then followed that up with post grad in England. "

"So you did not spend much time with him."

"Just high days and holidays."

Just then Roland let a waiter in with a food trolley, tipped him and closed the door again.

"Roland, arrange for some clothes to be sent to this room. Whatever you can get." Kaiba instructed.

"Yes sir."

"Lara, we will help you but don't think that this means I automatically trust you. If my brother is in your company you can bet your life I will be watching."

"I understand." She replied.

Mokuba rolled his eyes. "Excuse my brother, his manners leave him sometimes."

"It really is fine Mokuba. If the roles were reversed and you were Leon, I'd do the same." She replied with a smile. That little statement earned her a little respect from Kaiba.

"Mokuba should I send Roland back to get you or are you coming with me?"

"Send Roland. I have a few questions of my own."

"Fine." And with a swish of his coat Kaiba was gone.

Kaiba called for the elevator which arrived with ping. The highly polished doors slid open and he stepped in. The doors slid shut and began its descent. Kaiba leaned his head back against the mirror wall and let out a sigh. His mind was a torrent of thoughts. He sympathised with Lara but she was a Schroeder. Nothing good ever came about for his family if they were involved and he wanted Mokuba to stay away but he was an adult now and could make his own decisions. Decisions that often proved to be well thought out. He trusted his brother and raised him well but he wished he could pull him away in this situation. Lara's story did make sense though. Every time he had met Mr Von Schroeder he had Zigfried with him. He had to find out more about this girl, for his own peace of mind and Mokuba's safety. The doors reopened and Kaiba walked to the waiting town car.

"Roland, take me home."

"Yes sir."

He needed the privacy of his home to make a few calls and run some searches. He closed his eyes and relished the quiet hum of the car gliding through traffic. His commute to and from the office were the only real peaceful moments in Kaiba's life.

All too soon the car slowed as it travelled up the driveway. Roland parked the car at the door to the mansion. Kaiba elegantly got out and made his way to his study.

He pulled out his phone and made a quick call. "It's me. I need a background check. Lara Von Schroeder." Kaiba said curtly.

"Yes sir. You'll have it within the hour."

Kaiba hung up and sat at his computer. "Let's see who you are Lara." Kaiba said to himself.


	3. Uncertainty

Kaiba tapped away at his keyboard, searching for what the internet could tell him about Lara. He started his search with the fairly obvious online social media presence. That told him the basics, where she went, her thoughts, activities, basically anything she would not mind the world knowing and that was not entirely helpful to him. He was about to further his search when his phone rang.

"Yes?"He answered curtly.

"Mr Kaiba, I got what you asked for. There is not much out of the ordinary except for her family. I have emailed it to you though." Takeshi replied.

"Good. We'll be in touch." Kaiba ended the call and returned to his computer where he checked his email and true to his word, Takeshi had sent through the background check. For the most part it was fairly uninteresting. Name, surname, address, place of work, age, all were as she had said. It indicated that her parents were indeed dead and the Kaiba family's nemesis, thanks to Gozaburo, was indeed her father. She had volunteered for several causes and was a constant donor to several animal charities and orphanages. It seemed that Lara was in fact, honest with them. The file also revealed that after her father's death, there had been a court case where Zigfried and his mother had tried to remove her from the will which was dismissed. Interestingly, Leon had lived with her for a few years before moving back in with Zigfried. The more Kaiba read, the clearer the story became. It was obvious that was not wanted in the Schroeder family and that they would do anything to get rid of her. It then occurred to Kaiba that she may just be a pawn in one of their greater schemes. After all that was how Zigfried liked to work. Being the coward that he was, he would send in his siblings to take all the risks for him and use them without thought.

Kaiba paced the study. He still could not shake the feeling that this woman may not be all she seemed.

Meanwhile, at the hotel, Mokuba was still with Lara.

"So Lara, what's next?" Mokuba asked.

"I'm not sure. I'll go to Germany. I have to leave the company Mokuba. I can't stay there, not after this." She replied.

"I get that, but you have to think a few steps ahead Lara. You would obviously have to get a job again, maybe start something on your own but that would mean that Ziegfreid still knows where you are."

"That's true."

"You knew how he felt about you, why didn't you leave the company sooner?" Mokuba enquired.

"Because my father wanted Schroeder Corp to stand for all his children. He educated me, raised me to be a part of it. He had an unhealthy competition, obsession, whatever you want to call it, with your family and that was his greatest weakness but to me, he was a wonderful father. He came to my school events whenever he could, he would chat to me every time he got back from a trip even if I was already in bed. He was loving towards me Mokuba." Lara said looking down at her clasped hands. "He would tell me that my mother was his one true love. To everyone else he was a dictator. I don't know why I'm telling you all of this. I barely know you."

"It's my face." Mokuba joked. "You have been through a great ordeal Lara. And it isn't as if we are complete strangers. We knew of each other's families."

"Yeah but in all fairness, I knew both of you and neither of you had any knowledge of me."

"True. But you have an opportunity here to prove that not all the Schroeders are the same. You have a chance to start afresh, build new friendships and maybe repair old ones."

"You are right; but right now all I want is for the ground to swallow me whole. Look at me, look at where I am and how I got here. It just isn't fair. And what will happen to Zigfried? Absolutely nothing of course. "

"Well it all did just happen. Like Seto said, you are welcome to stay here for a few days and figure things out."

"I'm not sure that's what he said Mokuba."

"No but it is what he meant. Look I know my brother. You will have to prove yourself for him to trust you and I don't mean bake brownies. There is a lot of bad blood between the Kaibas and Schroeders and Zigfried perpetuated that. So don't expect much in the way of friendly interaction from Seto. At the same time he has a good heart and will help if he can, just don't take advantage of that. I'm sure you can appreciate being upfront and honest."

"Yes I can. Thank you Mokuba. You all have helped me a great deal today and I don't know if just saying thank could ever be enough. I am not like my family but you are right and neither one of you have any reason to trust me. I understand that."

"It's nothing personal against you."

"I know Mokuba."

"Good. So then, do you want me to wait with you for Roland to arrive with your clothes?"

"I wouldn't mind the company to be honest. I do have to call Leon though so will you excuse me for a bit?"

"Sure, no problem." Mokuba replied putting his feet up on the coffee table.

"Thanks." Lara went into the bedroom and dialed her brother from the phone that sat on the mahogany side table. She sat on the bed and waited for Leon to answer.

"Hello, Leon speaking." Came the slightly accented voice of her half brother.

"Hi Leon, it's Lara."

"Lara! Are you okay? It's been weeks! What happened?"

"Calm down Leon. A lot has happened but a call isn't the place to tell you everything. Basically though, there was no client here in Domino City. I was setup and captured."

"What? Who would do this?"

"Can you think of no one? We both know who has always wanted me out of the picture."

"Zigfried!" Leon gasped. "But Lara! No! He couldn't have!"

"You know it's true."

"I will confront him!"

"You will do no such thing! I'm just letting you know that I'm okay. I'll be returning to Germany to sort out my affairs after that, I'm not sure. But I will definitely be leaving the company."

"What?! No! Lara-"

"I'm sorry Leon but this is something that I have to do. I'll let you know my flight details when I have it. I just need you to arrange collection for me from the airport."

"I'll come get you. I can't believe this is happening."

"Yeah me neither. Love you Squirt."

"Love you too Lollipop. See you soon."

"Bye." With that she hung up.

She walked back into the living room to find Roland with three bags of clothes sitting on the couch next to Mokuba.

She was overwhelmed by the kindness the Kaibas had shown her. She did not wish to take advantage of their generosity nor be a burden upon them. She silently vowed to repay them in any way she could.

Roland walked up to her and handed over the bags of clothes and an additional sling bag.

"These are your clothes ma'am and Mr Kaiba here ordered me to fetch this for you."

"It's a laptop." Mokuba said seeing the confusion on her face. "It will be mighty hard to buy a plane ticket without any cards."

"Thank you both. I really appreciate this."

"It's no problem at all. I suppose I should head off with Roland here."

"Yeah, thank you again Mokuba. A lot has happened since this morning. You all have helped me immensely. I'll never forget this."

"Be safe Lara." Mokuba responded as he walked out the door.

Mokuba and Roland rode the elevator down to the street where the town car was parked. He climbed into the back and Roland shut the door then got into the driver's seat and pulled away from the hotel.

Mokuba could not help but think of the relationship Lara had with her siblings and compare it to his own. He knew there was nothing Kaiba would not do for him and the feeling was mutual. He could not comprehend how Zigfried could possibly be so ruthless as to hurt his own sister, or rather half-sister.

So wrapped up in his thoughts was he, that he had not noticed that they had arrived at the mansion.

"Um, Mister Kaiba, we're here." Roland said awkwardly.

"Huh, oh thank you Roland."

Mokuba entered the house and made a beeline for the study.

"Hey bro." He greeted Kaiba and flopped down on one of Kaiba's leather couches.

"Mokuba. Read this." Kaiba replied, handing the file from the background check to Mokuba.

"Makes for some interesting reading, doesn't it? She did speak to me about her background after you left." Mokuba said, he then proceeded to tell Kaiba all they had talked about. He also mentioned the call to Leon and instructing Roland to get the spare laptop.

"My problem Mokuba, is that she is a Schroeder."

"I get that bro, but it is possible she is different."

"It is possible, but we can't know for sure. Not until we know her better and I am still unsure if I want that to happen." Kaiba said.

"I understand where you're coming from but maybe we should give her the benefit of the doubt."

"Maybe she should earn it Mokuba."

"Well we have a week. Let's see how it progresses bro."

"Fine. But I want you to make sure you're careful, and you know I'll be watching."

"I know. Anyway, I'm going to get a bite to eat." Mokuba said as he left the study heading for the kitchen.

Kaiba decided a shower was in order. His mind felt cloudy with all that had happened. He needed to take a moment and gain some clarity. He stripped off his clothes and stepped into his large glass shower. Steaming hot water rained down on his body, warming his tired muscles. Lara had brought back memories of a time he would rather forget. A time with Gozaburo and his cruelty. He thought that perhaps that was why he was so reluctant to let her in but at the same time he did not know of her existence until a few hours before and he owed her nothing. He was sure he had done more than he needed to. Kaiba turned his face up to meet the jets of water. He let it cling to his chestnut hair and bounce of his face. He did feel sorry for Lara. He turned off the taps and decided the best thing for him was to immerse himself in some work and that was just what he did.

Back at the hotel, Lara had used the laptop to get all the information she could to get herself back to Germany. Once she was there she could sort out her life. She wrote down the address of the German embassy and planned a trip there the next day.

Lara climbed into bed and reflected on the day that passed. She was struck by the Kaibas' generosity and kindness. Seto Kaiba was a sceptical animal, maybe he was distrustful of everyone she pondered. She had heard many stories about him but none lived up to the man himself, and none of the descriptions accurately described what a sight he was either, she smiled to herself. For now though, she craved a good night's sleep and cast away all her thoughts. It was the first time in weeks that she had an actual bed and it felt amazing. It was not long before she had fallen into a deep dreamless asleep, safe for the first time in what felt like an age.


	4. Kaiba's Decision

Lara had awoken late the next morning. It was the ringing of the phone that brought her out of her slumber.

"Hello?" She answered groggily.

"Hi Lollipop."

"Leon. How are you Squirt?"

"I'm okay. I hope I'm not disturbing."

"No no, not at all. What's the time anyway?" She asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Well, it's almost five am here."

"What?! I didn't realize it's so late. Why are you up so early?"

"I couldn't sleep. The reason I called, I was giving some thought to your predicament travel wise and well, I realized your new passport arrived two days ago. I can send it overnight so you don't have to deal with the embassy. You may only receive it tomorrow seeing as how it is practically midday in Domino."

"That would be brilliant! Thank you Squirt. I was dreading having to recount all the details at the embassy. And I want to deal with this Zigfried thing quietly."

"I guessed as much. I'll send it first thing today. Let me know when it arrives and I will purchase your ticket and send you the confirmation. Are you okay though?"

"I don't know Leon. I feel numb. Physically I feel like I've been hit by a freight train but mentally, emotionally… I don't know. I just want out now."

"Out? You don't mean just the company do you?" Leon asked quietly.

"No. I want out of this family. I know I'll always have you but the rest of them… I don't want to know of them anymore."

"I understand. I have to go now. I won't say a word to Zig."

"Thanks Squirt, for everything."

"I can't wait to have you back home. Bye Lollipop."

"Bye." She hung up the phone and pushed herself up and instantly winced as pain lanced through her body. She gingerly slid out from under the covers and padded over to the bathroom. She looked at her gaunt face in the mirror, her green eyes now seemed a little too big. Her black hair looked a lot better but as she inspected her body, she realized she was lucky to feel the amount of pain she had been experiencing. Her body was tattooed in bruises of various shades of blue. Many of them were from her tumble out of the moving van. Lara pulled her robe on tighter, brushed her teeth quickly and decided to have a soak in the bath tub.

The hot water felt wonderful, it eased the aches and made her feel a bit more normal. The bubbles also made it easier as she did not have to see all the blemishes on her skin.

After all the bubbles had vanished, she climbed out of the bath with difficulty, dried off and took a look at the clothes Roland had brought her at Kaiba's order. He had got her a pair of pants, two skirts, two dresses, a pair of blue jeans and four shirts. He had also got her a whole lot of new bras and panties. She blushed at the thought but was overwhelmed by the generosity at the same time.

She was so grateful for the clean fresh clothes. She had tossed the tunic she had escaped in into the trash. She never wanted to lay her eyes on it ever again. Lara dressed in the jeans and t-shirt and finally called for food. She was ravenous but remembered the good doctor's words and ordered chicken soup off the room service menu.

She did not have to wait long before it arrived. The waiter wheeled in the food trolley, bowed and silently left the room. Lara lifted the cloche and was assaulted by the delicious aroma. She placed the bowl of soup and fruit juice on the dining table, took her seat and slowly ate the meal before her. Every spoonful was heaven. She had never eaten a meal so delicious and satisfying in all her life. She savoured the taste but was unable to finish the portion presented to her. Still, she knew she had to eat well and recover and so Lara swallowed the painkillers the doctor had left and finished the juice she had in her glass. Replete, Lara lay on the couch and turned on the television. She was not really paying attention to the show and the drugs had made her rather drowsy, soon enough she was fast asleep.

Not too far away, Seto Kaiba was in his top floor office making his way through the mountains of work he faced every day. He had had a few meetings on new and exciting projects that Kaiba Corp had come up with but through each task Lara kept going through his mind. He still had not found out anything negative about her apart from a few speeding fines, none of which were in Germany. Compared to the rest of her family, Lara led a fairly normal life. One could say she was a nobody if they did not know what her name was and how much she was worth.

With a sigh Kaiba stood up and walked to his window that looked over Domino. "Maybe I need to speak to you for myself, figure out who you are Lara von Schroeder." Kaiba thought to himself. He looked at his watch, it was one forty five already. He hit the speed dial on his desk phone; the call was answered almost instantly.

"Mr Kaiba sir." Roland answered.

"Roland arrange with Ms Von Schroeder to meet me at the usual coffee shop at two thirty. Fetch her if you must. I can get myself there."

"Yes sir."

Lara awoke to the sound of a ringing phone for the second time that day.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Ms Von Schroeder, it's Roland here."

"Yes Roland, how can I help you?"

"Ma'am, Mr. Kaiba has instructed me to take you to a coffee shop to meet with him at two thirty."

"Um, sure Roland that shouldn't be a problem. Which coffee shop?"

"Mr. Kaiba's usual spot. I will fetch you at two fifteen ma'am."

"Thank you Roland. Just a question, which Mr. Kaiba am I seeing?"

"Mr Seto Kaiba ma'am."

"Okay. Thank you Roland. I will see you shortly."

At precisely two thirty, Kaiba entered the posh little coffee shop he often frequented with Mokuba. He scanned the seating area and almost instantly spotted Lara, sitting alone at the back of the coffee shop. Kaiba noted how it was a place she could see everyone in the restaurant and all who entered and left. No one could sit behind her and even though Kaiba did not know her very well, he was willing to bet that this was as a result of her recent experience.

The hostess noticed Kaiba and quickly rushed to him.

"Mr. Kaiba. What a pleasure it is to see you. Your usual table is available."

Kaiba did not respond, he simply waved her off and took his seat opposite Lara.

"I'm glad to see you're prompt." He growled.

"Likewise." Lara retorted. "I must thank you for all you've done. For these clothes. It means a lot."

Kaiba, however, did not respond.

"So Kaiba, why did you ask me here?" She enquired.

"Wait for the waitress to take the order then we can talk." He responded gruffly.

No sooner had he said that then the waitress arrived.

"Good afternoon, I'll be your waitress today. Can I take your order?" Said the waitress as she looked at Lara.

"A cappuccino please." She replied.

"Yes ma'am, and for you sir?"

"The same."

"Very well." She smiled and left them alone.

"Okay, so why did you ask me here?" Lara asked again.

"Because I need answers."

"To what exactly?"

"Firstly, have you made arrangements to go back to Germany?"

"Yes. I arranged with Leon. He is sending me my new passport and getting my plane ticket."

"What then?"

"I meet with Zig- but this you know."

"Yes but it is this meeting with Zigfreid that has me concerned."

"Why? Because of my surname? Kaiba I'm willing to bet money you already ran checks on me so you should know that there is no love lost there."

"Yes but family can be a powerful weapon."

"You think I'm going to feed him info just because we share genes? C'mon Kaiba, give me more credit than that."

Kaiba said nothing; he simply stared unblinkingly at her.

"Look I know you don't know much about me, but if someone helps me, I'm not likely to sell them out to anyone."

"And you don't think that they could have used you at all, or used Leon. Zig has done that before." Kaiba replied sharply.

"No. Not at all. Kaiba like I said before, I am very grateful for your help and I understand your suspicious nature, but you cannot possibly be threatened by one Schroeder."

"That's what you think this is?" Kaiba asked, fire raging in his eyes. "Lara I-" Kaiba stopped abruptly because the waitress had brought through their drinks.

"Can I get you anything else?" She asked pleasantly.

"No." Kaiba said curtly with a look that left no doubt in her mind that he wanted to be left alone. He turned his attention back to Lara. "Lara I am not threatened by one member of your family. I am apprehensive of the sudden appearance of a Schroeder and the circumstances under which she has appeared. In my experience, the appearance of any Schroeder has meant a severe danger posed to my company and my family. Those are things I don't take lightly. Gozaburo, a man I detested, dealt your father, a man you loved, a bad hand and it has meant a threat to our security ever since. If it was Leon in the firing line what would you do?"

Lara dropped her gaze to the coffee in front of her. She wrapped her hands around the warm mug enjoying the heat it provided.

"You're right." She said quietly. "I know the history. And if it was Leon I would do exactly what you have. But Kaiba, try to understand where I'm coming from. These people don't like me. I have a surname, that's all."

"And what about Leon? He may not be Zigfried but he is willing to do anything for him. I have witnessed that." Kaiba retorted.

"Not anymore. Leon is sweet but he is no longer naïve. I trust him with my life."

Throughout their conversation Kaiba had not noticed a single tell to show she was lying. Honesty emanated off her. He sighed and leaned back in his chair. Kaiba stirred a spoonful of sugar in his coffee and took a small sip. Lara's eyes never left his the entire time.

"Mokuba will continue to assist you Lara. I have no problem with that but let me just say that if my brother is endangered in any way, there will be no place for any Schroeder to hide. My wrath will be sure and swift. Are we clear?"

"Crystal." She replied.

"If you hate these people, why have you stuck around so long?" Kaiba asked.

"Why did you turn Kaiba Corp around, why not shut it down and start over?" She responded.

"Fair enough." Kaiba smiled thinly. He placed a few notes of money next to his cup to cover the bill and dropped his card on the table for Lara. "There will be assistance for you should you need it. Don't make me regret my decision." And with that Kaiba left.


	5. The Trip Home

The next two days passed by relatively quietly with the only disturbances being Mokuba checking in on Lara every afternoon. She waited impatiently for the documents Leon promised to send. In the time she spent waiting, she made a list of everything she had to do when she got back to Germany and all that she wished to discuss with Zigfried.

Lara put her feet up on the couch, switched on the TV and mindlessly watched whatever she could find until a welcome ring from the telephone caught her attention.

"Hello." She answered.

"Good afternoon ma'am. Apologies for interrupting but we have a delivery for you at the front desk." The receptionist informed.

"Oh good. I'll be right down."

She pocketed her key card and caught the lift to the ground floor. A courier dressed in a yellow uniform and baseball cap was standing at the front desk clutching a bright yellow and red sealed parcel bag.

"I believe you are looking for me." Lara said as she walked to the courier.

"Ms L von Schroeder?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Please sign here." He requested, handing her a stylus and his PDA. With a flourish she digitally signed and took the parcel.

"Thanks." She said as she walked back to the waiting lift. Once she was safely back in her room she tore open the bag and removed a manila envelope from within it. Inside were her traveller's cheques and passport. "Finally!" she thought.

Lara immediately called Leon. After the fourth ring it was answered.

"Hey Lollipop." Came Leon's answer.

"Hi Squirt. I just got the passport and cheques."

"Oh great! I'll book your ticket right now."

"No don't worry about it. I have the cheques now, I'll sort it out."

"Are you sure? I don't mind."

"I know you don't Leon but I have to get a few things before I leave."

"Okay, but be careful!" He instructed.

"Don't worry, I will be."

"When will you fly?"

"Tomorrow if I can. It will be a long flight so I'll try to get something that will put me in Berlin at a decent hour on Saturday."

"Sounds like a plan. I really can't wait to see you."

"Me too squirt. Bye."

"Bye Lollipop."

Lara hung up and called Mokuba immediately after. She felt she owed him that after all he had done for her. She had become rather close to him. He reminded her a lot of Leon. She dialled his number and his phone was answered almost instantly.

"Hey Lara, everything alright?"

"Hi Mokuba. Yes everything is fine. I just wanted to let you know that my passport has arrived so I'm going to book my flight now."

"Oh, well that's good. You have the spare laptop so once that is taken care of, you can sort out this whole mess."

"Yes. However, Leon has sent me traveller's cheques so I was going to just book at the travel agency."

"Well in that case, would you like to wait like an hour longer and I will take you myself?" Mokuba offered.

"Mokuba you have helped me so much already, I don't want to put you out."

"Don't be silly. I'll come over. See you soon." With that Mokuba hung up.

It was funny, as much as Mokuba reminded her of Leon, they were so entirely different. Mokuba was a lot more forceful for one thing. She thought that may have been Kaiba's influence.

Meanwhile, at Kaiba Corp, Mokuba headed straight for Kaiba's office, pausing only to quickly wink at Kaiba's secretary. She smiled and continued her work. She knew Kaiba was busy and interrupting him now was a bad idea, but Mokuba never seemed to elicit the same response everyone else received.

Mokuba entered the large office and closed the heavy wooden doors behind him.

"Lara has her travel documents." Mokuba started. "I'm going to take her to get her ticket this evening."

Kaiba stopped typing and steepled his fingers under his chin. "So we get some answers soon."

"Appears so. I just get this feeling that she is walking into another ambush."

"I agree Mokuba. With Zigfreid involved, I am almost sure of it. I just want to know how exactly he tried to come at us."

"IF." Mokuba interjected.

"No Mokuba, 'how'. This man will stop at nothing to get one over on us. It's no different now."

"If that is true bro, I'm sure Lara will be honest with us."

"I wish I could share your certainty." Kaiba retorted.

"She's done nothing for us to not trust her thus far. Let's see how it goes. Anyway, I'm taking my car. Don't give me that look; you know it doesn't work on me. I don't need Roland to protect me from one lady bro. Besides, my car is already here. I'll see you later."

Kaiba simply shook his head at Mokuba's retreating figure.

Mokuba started up his car with a roar, drove straight to the hotel, fetched Lara and headed to the mall. There, their first stop was at the travel agents where Lara had no trouble purchasing her ticket for her flight to Germany. The next stop was a luggage store so Lara could get a small carry on for the items the Kaibas had been kind enough to get her. Their final stop was a small coffee shop for cappuccinos and chocolate cake. Mokuba then dropped her off at her hotel.

"I'll send Roland to fetch you in the morning." Mokuba said as he brought the car to a stop.

"You really don't have to Mokuba. You have already done so much."

"I insist." Mokuba smiled.

"Okay then, I graciously accept." Lara chuckled. "I suppose in that case I will check in online and leave the laptop with Roland.

"Yeah, that sounds fine to me."

"Thank you Mokuba, really. I appreciate everything."Lara said sincerely.

"It's a pleasure. Travel safe and good luck." Mokuba smiled.

"I won't ever forget this." Lara then exited the car and hurried back into the hotel as Mokuba roared off into the distance.

Lara returned to her room, packed her few new possessions into the carry on, slid her traveller's cheques into the zipper of the bag and decided to call Kaiba.

The call was almost instantly answered with a gruff and curt "Yes."

"Hi Kaiba. I'm just letting you know that I'll be leaving tomorrow. My flight departs at eight am and I wanted to thank you."

"When do you meet Zigfreid?"

"Tomorrow evening. My flight puts me in Germany at three pm so I'll have enough time to get to Schroeder Corp. Kaiba you have my word, I won't let Zig come at you or Mokuba."

"That's not necessary Lara. I just need to know what he planned."

"And you will. Good bye Kaiba." Lara hung up the phone then double checked that she had not forgotten anything. She fetched her resignation letter that she had asked the duty manager to print for her which he kindly did, off the table and slid it safely into the bag. She was ready to go back home but mostly she was counting down the moments to her confrontation with Zigfried.

The next morning Lara awoke early after a troubled sleep, readied herself and went down to find Roland already waiting for her. He drove her to the airport in silence, leaving her at the drop off area and smoothly pulling away as soon as she got out.

Soon enough, she had boarded, stowed away her luggage and settled herself in for the long flight. She looked out the window as the plane rolled slowly along the curved tarmac. The huge craft lined up on the runway. Suddenly the massive plane picked up speed racing along the asphalt at break neck speed, the nose lifted and the ground quickly disappeared below them. Lara pulled out her book to while away the hours knowing there was nothing she could do about her situation for the next eleven hours.

Lara had fallen asleep along the way only to be woken by the pilot's voice informing the passengers that they would be making their approach and that the weather was sunny and warm.

The plane landed smoothly with smallest of bumps as the tyres hit the tarmac. It slowly came to a halt and the first class passengers disembarked quickly. She pulled her carry on bag along, made a swift trip to the bathroom to freshen up and walked out to the waiting area for international arrivals. Leon was there as he had promised to be. He really was a sight for sore eyes. She rushed up to him and engulfed him in the biggest hug she could muster.

"Lollipop! I'm so glad you're home!" Leon exclaimed.

"Me too." She smiled. "C'mon let's get out of here. We have things to do."

Leon walked with her out of the airport, towards the parking lot. "Lara you must be tired. Don't you want to rest first?"

"No, not really. I want to sort this mess out." They arrived at the car and Lara noticed the shiny charcoal RS7 Leon had arrived in. "Why did you bring my car?"

"When you hadn't been in touch for a week I took it back to my place so it wouldn't be left at the office."

They climbed into the car and Leon drove in the direction of Schroeder Corp. It was slow going as they had been stuck in traffic since leaving the airport. They eventually reached the towering grey building and Leon parked the car in the usual spot Lara used whenever she visited head office. Lara maintained a residence in Berlin purely for convenience, but spent most of her time in Munich with her marketing and PR department based there.

"Leon you go up to Zig. I need to make a quick call."

"Sure thing. Don't be too long." He said as he tossed her the keys.

"I won't."

Once Leon had entered the building and was clear of earshot, she pulled out her phone from the glove compartment, switched it on and dialled the number of her lawyer.

"Hi Gunther." She greeted.

"Lara! What a relief it is to hear your voice." He said.

"Yeah, listen those purchase of shares agreements. Have we got the signatures?"

"It's all done. The third transaction was concluded this morning. Dates are all indicative."

"Perfect. When can I have the paperwork?"

"I can get them to you this evening."

"Music to my ears Gunther."

"Zigfried won't like this."

"I'm counting on it." She smiled and ended the call.

Lara then pulled out her letter of resignation, locked the car with a beep and pocketed the keys. She travelled up to the uppermost floor, walked straight past Zigried's secretary and was about to open the door to his office when she heard tense voices. She chose to wait just outside the door and listen to the conversation before going in. Lara listened carefully and realized it was Leon and Zigfried.

"Leon please. You ver avare of ze plan ze whole time. Vot is ze problem now?"

"She hasn't done anything wrong to us Zig. In fact, her work saved this company."

"Business is business Leon."

"I suppose."

"Leon, you are a Schroeder. Ve do vot ve must to succeed."

"Let's just go through it again. Don't worry, Lara is making a call in her car."

"Probably to ze Kaibas." Zigfried chuckled. "Okay let's see now. I created ze lead for her in Domino wiz ze plan of her kidnapping. I also made ze call for ze kidnappers to move her and to let her escape. I had ze Kaibas watched and zey have predictable habits you know Leon. So it was easy to get her to zem. Of course ze younger Kaiba would help. Lara had to be collateral in my battle wiz Kaiba Corp. If ze world found out a Schroeder voz attacked in Herr Kaiba's town, people would turn against him. He would sell less, lose profits. Share prices would drop and I vood buy zem out."

"What about Lara, Zig?"

"Lara vood be angry but ve are her family. She vood forgive us after she understood vy ve did vot ve did. For our family. I knew Lara vood get close to ze brozers and could give us information. Zat is vot ve needed."

"But what if those goons had hurt her. And the Kaibas have done nothing to us in years."

"Zey vood not have. But ve have to look at ze bigger picture here Leon. Zey are our biggest competition and vy ve cannot get bigger."

Lara could listen to no more. Kaiba was right about everything. She was ashamed to be a Schroeder. Lara burst into Zigfried's office to a stunned look from Leon and and a cold smirk from Zigfried.

"DU HURENSOHN!" She thundered. "Everything was your doing!"

"Lara..." Leon said softly trying to reason with her.

"I don't want to hear one word from you Leon!" She glared at him. "As for you Zigfreid, the reason the Kaibas do better is because they focus on their business, not vengeance for imagined slights."

"Lara, open your eyes. Ze Kaibas are ze reason we have no fazer."

"No. The reason we have no father is because you had him killed. Don't think for one second that I don't know that. You are a power hungry maniac!"

"Me? Come now Lara. Let us talk like adults. Ze Kaibas ver ze enemy." Zigfried said sweetly.

"The time for talking is done Zigfried and stop talking about the Kaibas. Seto Kaiba is worth ten of you. You know what, I'm done. Here is my letter of resignation from my post as head of marketing and PR effective immediately. Sign both."

"Lara you are over-reacting."

"Sign it Zigfried." She said through gritted teeth. "And don't pretend this isn't what you wanted."

"Vot about your shares?" Zigfried asked as he scrawled his signature on Lara's letters.

"I'm leaving the company Zig, but that doesn't make me an idiot. Those are mine. I will provide my votes by proxy at the board meetings." She replied, taking her copy of her letter. "Have a good life." Lara turned her back on the Schroeder brothers and marched to the door. She pulled open the handles and spun around.

"I wouldn't sleep too soundly if I were you Zigfried. Our crimes have a way of coming back to haunt us." With those parting words, she left. Leon ran out after her.

"Lara! Lara stop! LOLLIPOP!" he yelled.

"Don't you dare call me that!" She raged. "How could you Leon?!" She asked as she advanced on him like a caged animal. "How could you go along Zigfried?! Who was it that housed you for those years you studied? Who comforted you when you were ignored by your family? Who?! Answer me dammit!"

"You weren't always there Lara. You left remember." Leon fired back.

"Left? I was sent away. I left when I went to study but that put me in a position to watch over you in this company."

"Lara..."

"Don't Lara me. Have a good life with Zig, Leon. Heaven knows you aren't so different after all." She said quietly as she turned around and walked away, leaving Leon standing in the doorway.

* * *

Meanwhile in Domino, Kaiba was busy making a few enquiries about Lara. He had called an old contact from Germany. A man with whom Kaiba had a long history and one who would know about Lara's business connections.

"Mr Kaiba." The man answered in a slightly accented voice.

"Tell me, Lara von Schroeder, what do you know?" Kaiba asked in his typical way.

"Well what do you want to know? If you know her name, you know who she is and few do. The business world is well acquainted with her. She doesn't live the celebrity life that Zigfried does. She lives in Munich and works from there. Some say she is solely responsible for the turnaround in the image of Schroeder Corp." He responded.

"There are others who disagree?" Kaiba questioned.

"Let's just say she does a brilliant job of making the brothers look likeable. So naturally people see Zigfried von Schroeder as the likeable CEO and credit him with her achievements. I haven't worked with her but I know of those who have in the past. She has a great ethic, she can work the media and read the markets. That way she is always able to project the right image at the right time. A real asset."

"Interesting." Kaiba responded simply.

"Looking to poach her Mr Kaiba?" The man joked.

"If I was, I wouldn't say, would I?" Kaiba retorted.

The man chuckled, "No Mr Kaiba, you would not."

Kaiba had ended the call, shut down his computer and switched off his study light. He took a look at the time on his phone, it was already eleven pm. He tossed the phone onto his massive bed and readied himself for a shower.

He turned on the water in his en-suite bathroom and stepped under the hot jets, relaxing his body after a long day. He found himself wondering how Lara had done with her meeting with Zigfried. He hoped she was okay. Kaiba was finding it harder to distrust her and everything he uncovered kept showing her to be very different to her half siblings. He shut off the tap, dried himself off and wrapped a towel around his waist as he walked back into the bedroom to a ringing phone. It was Lara.

* * *

Lara was in her car calling Kaiba on the Bluetooth as she raced towards her apartment. He took two rings longer to answer his phone this time and realized it must be pretty late in Domino. She wondered if she should wait for the morning but just then Kaiba picked up.

"Kaiba." She said before he could speak.

"What's happened?" He growled.

"You were right about everything. Zigfried's plan was to eliminate the competition by sacrificing me in your town so you would lose face. Confidence in KC would drop and so would your share price, then Zig would come in and buy it out from under you. Two birds one stone. He wanted me to get close to you for information. Apparently being family means that I would automatically forgive him and share. He watched you and Mokuba and knew exactly when the kidnappers could allow me to escape so you both would help. He worked with Leon." Lara explained.

"Where are you now?" Kaiba asked.

"On my way to my apartment." She replied.

"What's your plan?"

"I want to discuss that with you in person but I want to end Zigfried von Schroeder and I may have a way." She smirked.


	6. Return to Domino

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since I've posted a chapter to this story. I'm hoping to get back into it...

"And how's that?" Kaiba enquired.

"I'd prefer not to say on the phone. Give me a few days and I will tell you everything when I come back to Domino."

"I take it Zigfried is not going to like this. You know very well he has means of getting information."

"He does, but I'll be fine."

"We'll be in touch." Kaiba replied and hung up.

He looked at the phone in his hand and wondered just what Lara had planned. She was smart and intriguing and Kaiba was starting to trust her. He knew the pressures of coming from a powerful family and Lara would now have to try harder to make a success of whatever venture she would start. Her name would help her but it then occurred to him that her name could help him too. An idea formed in his mind and made a note to discuss it with Mokuba. If they both agreed, he would not need to put it to the board.

It was late now and Mokuba was not yet back from his evening out. Kaiba decided rest was better than waiting for his little brother and pulled on a pair of light blue pyjama bottoms that hung from his sculpted hips. He then climbed into bed and read through reports until he fell asleep.

Saturday morning began as usual for Kaiba with a few laps in the pool followed by a quick breakfast while going through his emails. He thought it best to work from home, that way he would be able to speak to Mokuba and get him to set the process in motion fairly quickly.

Mokuba had eventually risen close to midday and was surprised to see his brother at home. He walked into the study with a mug of steaming hot black coffee in his hand.

"Hey Seto." He yawned. "Why are you home?"

"I live here." Came his dry response.

"Uh-huh." Mokuba responded, taking a sip from the mug in his hand.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh? What about?"

"Lara."

"Did something happen?"

"Yes. Turns out Zigfreid set everything up. He had us watched, knew our routine and arranged for Lara to escape near us in order for us to help. His plan was for her to get close to us then pass info on to him. That's his story anyway. It's bullshit. According to Lara he wanted her to be attacked in our town so we would lose face. Share prices would drop and he would swoop in for a cheap deal."

"That bastard." Mokuba said quietly.

"Indeed. So you see, she would not be able to pass any information on. Probably just his back-up plan. Use her relationship with Leon who was in it with Zigfried."

"I guess you were right bro."

"I would have liked not to be." Kaiba replied.

"So things didn't work out as he wanted." Mokuba stated.

"No." Kaiba responded. "Lara called me last night. She is planning something but she wants to tell us in person."

"And that brings us to what you actually want to talk to me about." Mokuba said, sipping his coffee.

"Yes. I want Lara to work for us."

Mokuba coughed and spluttered into his mug. "What?!" he said with disbelief.

"Don't be so dramatic Mokuba. Can you imagine a Schroeder working for us? What a coup that would be." Kaiba stated flatly.

"I get why it's a good idea bro. It's just you have never approached anyone to work for KC."

"There's a first time for everything." Kaiba smirked.

"So if you and I agree and offer her something in middle management with a view to get into top management at a later stage, we can bypass the board." Mokuba said, reading his brother's mind.

"Exactly." Kaiba replied. "I know she is good at what she does."

"Oh I know you know bro." Mokuba laughed. "Who gets to tell her?"

"I was thinking you would like to do that."

"Absolutely! I'll sort everything out." Mokuba grinned and walked away. He was just as capable of working from home as his brother and was soon able to contact the departments he needed to and have the documents he required. He messaged Lara on the number Kaiba had given him informing her that he would be video calling and at what time.

At three pm exactly he called Lara who immediately accepted.

"Hi Mokuba." She greeted from her white suede couch.

"Hey Lara. How's it going?"

"Alright thanks and yourself?"

"I'm pretty good. Glad to be home?" Mokuba asked.

"Not sure. I take it Kaiba told you what has been going on."

"Yeah he did. I could see Zigfried pulling something like this. I didn't expect it from Leon." Mokuba said.

"Me neither. I guess Kaiba was right all along."

"He usually is." Mokuba replied. "Just don't tell him I said that." Mokuba laughed.

"Your secret is safe with me."

"So Lara, the reason I called... Seto and I want to offer you a position in Kaiba Corp."

"Excuse me? Did I hear right?"

"Yes." Mokuba smiled. "You are now free of your title at Schroeder Corp and we both think your skills could be of valuable use in our company."

"Plus I'm a Schroeder and that would make KC look marvellous." She stated bluntly.

"Two birds and all that. Obviously we don't expect you to automatically say yes so here's the deal: We're offering you Marketing and PR Manager, Japanese Region with a promotion to Head of Marketing and PR after three months. It would mean that you have to oversee the department for the entirety of Kaiba Corp so included is the games, amusement parks and hotels. That would be performance based obviously but I have a feeling we'll have no issues there. We would absorb the relocation costs which include the services of a company to help you move to Japan and obtain the necessary documents, driver's license etc. We are aware of your salary at Schroeder and we will pay you five percent more once you are head of department." Mokuba offered. "Another perk is that you don't have to be anywhere near Zigfried." He added.

"It doesn't sound bad."

"Look you can take the weekend to think about it." Mokuba said.

"No. No I can give you my answer right now. I would like to graciously accept your offer." Lara smiled. "So how soon can we contact that company you were telling me about?" She asked.

"As soon as you want me to. We can get them to fast track everything. I'm sure they would be able to."

"Do it." Lara instructed.

Mokuba informed Kaiba of the developments then hurried off to start the moving process. Kaiba was surprised that he was actually looking forward to her arrival. She was one of the first people he did not have to just tolerate. He also knew she would bring something special to the company.

Almost two weeks later, Lara was booking into the Domino Park Hotel once again but under very different circumstances. Her paperwork was fast tracked just as Mokuba promised and all she needed now was an apartment and her license.

The hotel receptionist handed her a key card and the porter took her bags up to the top floor. She thanked the porter, carefully closed and bolted the door after him and flopped down on the couch. She was exhausted. It had been a very long couple of days, and after that flight, Lara was ready for sleep even though it was late afternoon. She knew she had to see Kaiba but thought that it could wait until the next day. Instead, she opted to send both Kaiba and Mokuba messages informing them that she had safely arrived back in the country and that she had already booked into the hotel. Much to her surprise, a moment later her phone rang. It was Kaiba.

"Hi Kaiba." She greeted.

"Lara. I'm sending Roland tomorrow night to the hotel to fetch you. You will be coming to the mansion. We have a lot to discuss." Kaiba drawled in his usual curt way.

Lara rolled her eyes at his tone but even so, she did think his voice, like everything else about him, was rather sexy. "Send me a time and I will be ready. Man I can't wait until I can drive myself again." She sighed.

"Have you heard anything from Zigfried or Leon?" Kaiba enquired.

"Nothing. I'm not sure that is a good thing though."

"I agree. We'll see you tomorrow." Kaiba hung up.

The suite Lara was staying in this time was larger than the one she stayed in before. She walked through the white double doors at the end of the living area and stepped in into the very large bedroom. There was a king size bed against the wall on the right with a beautiful large abstract painting above it. The far wall was an expansive window that looked out over Domino City. In the middle of the room, in front of the bed stood a rectangular wall with a very large flat screen television mounted onto it. Behind the wall, alongside the left wall was a coffee table with a couple modern winged chairs and a couch. The colours were rich and inviting but all she was interested in was the bed. She stripped off her clothes, slid between the sheets and fell asleep almost instantly.

Lara slept through the night only to be woken the next morning by the beep of her phone. It was Kaiba. He informed her that Roland would be round to pick her up at six pm sharp. She was quite anxious but very eager to speak to the Kaiba brothers.

The time past by slowly but Lara was grateful for that. She was well rested and thought she would get dressed a little early. Lara decided to make a bit of an effort, considering how she looked the last time the Kaibas saw her. Lara slipped on a blue knee length, wrap-over dress with three quarter sleeves and a black belt with black stiletto pumps, not that she needed the height considering she was relatively tall. She brushed though her long black hair and pulled it all to the front over her right shoulder. She rimmed her bright green eyes with black eye pencil, put on some mascara and applied a little red lip gloss to her pouty lips and she was ready to go.

Lara sat on the edge of the bed and quietly spoke to her dead father. _"Please forgive me for what I am about to do Papa. Zig has to be stopped. I know you didn't like the Kaibas but Seto and Mokuba are different and I think that they can bring some light to all the darkness Zigfried has brought to all our lives. Not just the company. Don't hate me I pray, but I would rather work with Kaiba against Zig than see him sit in your chair one more day. I love you and miss you."_ She then stood up, straightened her dress, grabbed her purse and headed down to the lobby.

As always, Roland was there on time. He opened the door for her and she climbed into the back seat. Apart from Roland's greeting, it was a quiet drive to the mansion. The guards silently watched as the gates swung forward and Roland drove up the driveway to the portico where he stopped the car and opened Lara's door, allowing her to get out. With an easy grace, she climbed out of the car and walked into the beautiful house. Mokuba was there ready to greet her.

"Lara, it's good to see you! You look amazing." He admired as he hugged her.

"Thanks Mokuba. Did I forget how tall you were or have you grown in the time I've been gone?" she joked.

"Maybe you got shorter." He laughed.

"Possibly."

Mokuba escorted Lara to the lounge.

"Please take a seat Lara. I'm just going to get Seto."

Lara sat on one of the very comfortable couches and waited for Mokuba to return. She did not have to wait long though, as he soon walked in with Kaiba. She wondered how she could not have noticed how tall these boys were. Mokuba had a good ten centimetres on his brother. She thought that he was probably the only person Kaiba would ever have to look up to.

"I've arranged dinner. Let's go to the dining room." Kaiba said in way of a greeting.

Kaiba sat at the head of the table with Mokuba on his right and Lara on his left. The servants had brought their food as soon as they took their seats. A simple but delicious salad starter, steak and vegetables followed with a dark chocolate fondant for dessert.

"Thank you for dinner. It was divine." She smiled.

"It's a pleasure." Mokuba responded.

A butler then entered the room to clear the plates and Kaiba instructed them not to disturb them for the rest of the night. The butler bowed and left them.

"So Lara." Kaiba started. "This plan you have..."

"Well, I want to hit Zig where it hurts the most... the company. You see the plan was always that the Schroeders maintained fifty one percent of Schroeder Corp. Leon and I had fifteen and Zig had twenty one. He is the majority share holder. Actually, was. I started buying shares before this whole incident with the kidnapping. Zigfried has no idea that I am now majority share holder with twenty four percent. Monthly reports have not yet been released. This is where you come in Kaiba."

"You are not seriously saying what I think you are." Kaiba deadpanned.

"I am. Look, I'm not an idiot, I stand to gain a fair amount from doing this. But I am willing to sign over my twenty four to you. That way you become majority share holder."

Kaiba looked incredulously at Lara. "Lara I have earned everything I own. Why would I just accept these shares?"

"Because Schroeder Corp has real potential, you know that. I am happy to gift my shares to a friend." She smirked. "A Kaiba essentially owning Schroeder Corp is the worst possible thing for Zigfried. The media will want to know what happened and we can say he tried to stage a failed takeover of KC, leaving himself vulnerable. With the lack of confidence in leadership growing, Schroeder Corp was ripe for the picking." Lara could see that Kaiba was considering her words.

"Lara, don't you think we are poking the bear?" Mokuba interjected.

"Possibly."

"And Leon still has fifteen percent. Let's not forget that." Mokuba said.

"I wouldn't worry. You see I have a few ventures which have netted me more gains than Zigfried. Having more money allowed me to start buying shares through various trusts and such that I have. Zigfried has seen this in the last few reports but has never bothered to investigate further. Once a company goes public, it's not easy to keep tabs on every shareholder. So I still do have that thirteen percent. What I am giving to you is what my father gave to me plus what I convinced some board members to part with. This is something I have thought of for a long time but there was no one worthy of giving my shares to."

"Until now." Kaiba growled.

"Yes."

"The magic number is fifty one. You know that right?" He stated condescendingly.

"Yes I do." Lara rolled her eyes. "But my father thought family would stick together. You and I will have an agreement. I will back up your motions and we can have Zig dismissed."

"Then what? He's a rich man with plenty of shares." Kaiba responded.

"Not really. You see, I know that Zig was behind my father losing his mind. He knows that I know. It was always a matter of proving it and now for the first time, I might be able to. Kaiba, my family comes from old money. There were conditions attached to the owning of these shares. I'll give you a copy, you can have a read. It's very interesting." She said lightly.

"Right." Kaiba smirked. "I'm in on one condition. We hold on until we have the fourteen percent to make it fifty one. It should take a few weeks."

"Mr Kaiba, you have yourself a deal." Lara smiled.


	7. Loss of Innocence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a couple of notes. I was listening to a song in my car while driving to the store and the one stanza got me thinking about Lara and Leon. It pretty much got the ideas flowing for the chapter. The stanza is below:  
> "You'll make us wanna die  
> I'd cut your name in my heart  
> Will destroy this world for you  
> I know you want me to  
> Feel your pain"  
> If you guys want to listen to the whole song, it's called Space Dementia by Muse. Best band ever!
> 
> See end of chapter for notes on the title of the chapter.

“So when can we read through all the documentation?” Mokuba asked.

“I'll try to send it tomorrow. Email okay?” Lara replied.

“That will be perfect.” Mokuba said.

“Great.” Lara smiled.

Kaiba noticed that her smile did not reach her eyes. In fact, she seemed a lot colder and detached than when he saw her last.

“Lara, this can't get out.” Kaiba said.

“I know Kaiba. Everyone who knows is in this room.”

“Make sure it stays that way.” He said curtly.

“I will have to get Gunther involved. He's my lawyer.”

“Is he in Germany?” Kaiba asked.

“Yes.”

“Then no.”

“Kaiba, I trust Gunther. I couldn't have bought all those other shares without him.”

“You trusted Leon too.”

“Seto!” Mokuba exclaimed.

“He's right Mokuba. I did trust Leon, but Gunther is different. There is no affection there. It's purely a business relationship. Plus Gunther knows it would not be wise for him to cross me.”

“And why is that?” Kaiba asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Because I can do more damage than Zigfried.” Lara said plainly. Just then her cell phone rang. She pulled it out of her bag and looked at the caller ID. She knew that if she wanted the Kaibas to trust her she would have to be completely transparent and should probably put it on speaker.

“Are you going to answer that?” Kaiba growled.

Lara hit the green button then put it on loudspeaker.

“What do you want Leon?” She said in way of a greeting.

“Hi Lara.” Leon said. “How are you?”

“Just peachy. Now what do you want?”

“I take it you're still angry at me then.” Leon said softly.

“Oh Leon, angry doesn't even begin to cover it.” She replied. “So tell me what you want or I'm hanging up.”

“Lara I just wanted to see if you're okay?”

“Okay?! Are you kidding me?! Leon would you be okay if the person you trusted most in the world betrayed you in the worst possible way?”

“Lara I'm sorry but Zig said he had a plan and-”

“And you trusted him over me. It's that simple.”

“Lara it's not simple.” Leon protested.

“Of course it is. All your life you wanted to be accepted by your family; and now you have finally proved yourself a Schroeder like your brother.”

“Lara please don't do that. We're not the villains and besides Zig did keep to his word. You were okay.” Leon said.

Lara saw red at Leon's reply. Mokuba noticed the change in Lara immediately. Her features changed, became more angular. She was a beautiful woman but now all he thought was that she looked menacing. Mokuba motioned for her to take the call out on the patio. Kaiba still listened closely to was being said.

“I was okay?” Lara enunciated each syllable. She walked outside and felt the welcome cold on her face. It did nothing to quell her rage. “Leon, Zigfried wanted me dead. Please tell me you did not believe that flimsy excuse he gave you. I believe his words were “our father made a mistake, I don't think our family should pay for that”. Do you even understand what you were a part of?! But I will say this, thank you! Thank you for showing me that I was right to never trust anyone. You will be my last mistake.” She said through gritted teeth.

“What do you mean Lara? It's not like you're without fault. Besides how many times did you leave?” Leon's tone had turned accusatory.

“Of course I'm not without fault but don't you dare accuse me of leaving. And it's twice that you've done that. Did you realize that the reason I was sent away the first time was because of you? They didn't like the bond we had. And afterwards I went to study Leon. It gave me a great place to look out for you. Can you comprehend what I went through for you? Father asked me to take care of the business and of you. You! That was why I didn't pursue a career in anything else. I turned down the most amazing opportunity of my life for you! I could have lived in England, far away from your family and maybe I should have.”

“What do you mean you turned it down for me?”

“I made a promise to you Leon, and I have honoured it every single day of my life. I told you I would take care of you. What would have happened if I stayed away? I couldn't let you face that family by yourself.”

“But then you moved to Munich...”

“Yes I did, but I called you every day and made sure we had time together every time I was in Berlin. And as I recall it was you who moved back to Berlin. You could have stayed at HQ with me.”

Leon sighed. He wanted to blame Lara for everything but knew he could not. “Lara, I don't want to fight with you. I know you tried. Please try to understand where I'm coming from.” Leon said softly.

“Of course I understand. I understand that all you ever wanted was to be recognised as a Schroeder and congratulations, now you are.” Lara said bitterly. “Do you know what you've lost? I would have walked through the fires of hell for you.” She added.

“Lara please. I just want you to come home.”

“I don't have a home in Germany.” She replied. “I won't ever forget this.”

“Then can you at least forgive me.”

“No. Goodbye Leon.” She said coldly and ended the call. Lara felt numb. She took a deep breath and tried to steady the pounding in her ears. Mokuba was concerned. He could only imagine what Lara must have been feeling.

“Are you okay?” Mokuba asked.

“Why? Because the centre of my universe has just imploded?”

“Yeah, that.” Mokuba said with a smile. “Come inside. It's cold out here.”

Lara walked back into the house with Mokuba. She took her seat at the table once more. Sitting here with the Kaibas, Lara knew she had to persevere with the plan. All the call with Leon did was to strengthen her resolve.

Mokuba looked at his watch and was shocked to see how late it was.

“I'm sorry guys, I have to meet someone and I'm definitely going to be late now.”

“I should probably head back to the hotel as well.” Lara said as she stood.

“Wait.” Kaiba commanded. “I want to talk to you Lara. Go Mokuba, we'll talk in the morning.”

“Thanks bro. Sorry I have to run out on you Lara. We'll catch up during the week, yeah?”

“Definitely.”

 

With that Mokuba left. Kaiba rounded on Lara. He found her conversation quite interesting. He could relate to her wanting to protect her little brother.

“I have a few questions.” Kaiba said in his usual way.

“Sure.”

“I want to know about this bond you and Leon have.”

“Well, I guess it started when he was a kid. I was five when Leon was born and already living in the Schroeder house. It was an awful place. He was so tiny when they brought him home from the hospital and virtually from that moment he was raised by the nannies. Zig was seven and being home schooled. No one was ever to disturb him. He got what he wanted when he wanted it and I watched as this little boy was more and more ignored. My home schooling started at six but they were different tutors and we went at a different pace. Even my hours differed from Zig. No one but my father paid attention to my studies. He noticed that I was learning at a faster pace than Zig, but he never said a thing. When Leon was four he went to his mom carrying a book. He just wanted her to read a story to him. She yelled at him and told him to not waste her time. It broke my heart. So I wiped away his tears, took him by the hand to my room, closed the door and read the story to him as he sat in my lap. He fell asleep there and I vowed not to let anyone hurt him. So that became my childhood. Working hard and looking after Leon. He eventually stopped going to his family for anything. He would always come to me. His mother didn't like it and when I turned thirteen I was sent to boarding school in Frankfurt. Leon was devastated but I called him as often as I could. He went back to being the forgotten kid. I graduated from school two years early thanks to my previous education, got into university in the states but still I tried to keep in contact. From there I went straight to England to further my studies. It was then that Leon went awol for a bit. That's when Zig used him to activate the virus in your systems during that tournament. When I was done, I went to work in the company in Munich. Where HQ is. I got myself a place there and convinced the Schroeders to let Leon stay with me. I provided for him, got him to finish school then university and then he moved back to Berlin. The family decided he was old enough to assume the role of VP so the world could see the brothers. Also, it wouldn't look like Mokuba was ahead of Leon like you were of Zig.”

“You can see why this concerns me.” Kaiba said.

“I can.” Lara replied.

“When did your father speak to you about your role in Schroeder Corp?”

“When I was still in school. He was getting sick, he seemed to be losing his mind but at times he had moments of absolute clarity. He told me he needed me to make sure the company had a future. He knew what the world would think of Zig. He also asked me to look after Leon. The Von Schroeder family comes from nobility, old money. He was with Zig's mother out of convenience. I couldn't run Schroeder Corp, I was an illegitimate child. I didn't want to be in the company but I had a duty to him. Though even if he didn't ask me to protect Leon, I still would have. He died when I was sixteen.”

“Lara, that is a lot to walk away from.” Kaiba said. He looked her straight in the eye. She felt like he was searching for some sort of answer in the depths of her soul.

“Kaiba, you're probably the only person who understands loving a sibling that much. They mean everything to you, but Leon has hurt me in ways that cannot be fixed.” Lara got off her chair and walked to the window. She looked out at the night sky. “Look, I know that you can't just trust me. I am trying to be as forthcoming as possible. I can give you my word that the Von Schroeder brothers will never again have a hold on me.”

“It's not in my nature to give the benefit of the doubt.” Kaiba said bluntly.

“I know. I will have to earn it. I mean, the only reason I trust you and Mokuba is that you helped me when you had no reason to.”

“You realize what we are planning will burn all your bridges.”

“I do and I don't care.”

“We'll see.” Kaiba responded.

A short and slightly awkward silence descended upon them. Kaiba seemed to be eyeing her speculatively.

“I'm glad you understood what Zigfried had planned for you.” Kaiba said. “I was worried you were being naive.”

“What, when I called you from Germany?”

“Yes.”

“Kaiba, I'm not an idiot. Of course I knew he wanted me dead. That little speech he gave Leon was utter bullshit. I didn't want to editorialize when I called you. I figured you would understand. Anyway, I think I should head back to the hotel. I will send you those emails tomorrow.”

“See that you do.”

“Goodnight Kaiba.”

 

Lara left the mansion with Roland who drove her back. She thanked him and made her way up to her suite. It was an interesting night and the call from Leon played in her head constantly.

Over the past few weeks she was able to keep the thoughts of everything far from her mind. She was far too busy but now that she had a moment of quiet and with all that she and Kaiba had spoken of, she felt everything wash over her like a tidal wave.

Lara could not deny she loved Leon and she hated that there was a part of her that still did. She knew she had done all she could over the years but that did nothing to soften the blow. She loved him and thought he loved her, so how could he do what he had done? She was shocked that he possessed such callousness.

Lara walked over to the large window and looked at all the twinkling lights of Domino. It would be so wonderful to be one of the those simple people living their lives down there. To be far from the dangers and politics of her life.

Lara could see the Kaiba Corp tower in the distance and it brought memories of that first day with Kaiba and Mokuba, flooding back. Suddenly she felt weary, exhausted to her bones. A crushing sadness consumed her as she realized her little brother was never someone she knew. There were no words to describe the feeling of knowing Leon had a hand in her coming so close to the end. She wondered what he would have done if she was killed. Would he grieve the loss of his sister or would her celebrate with Zigfried?

All she knew was that she had lost the one person she was closest to. The only person she would risk everything for. Her life had never before felt so empty. Lara felt something on her cheek and wiped it away only to realize it was a tear. She walked to the bed and flopped down, covering her eyes with her arm. The tears fell freely now. She did not even understand why she was crying. Why did she let this situation affect her so?

She knew there were signs that Leon would do anything for Zigfried but she never paid much attention to them. She supposed this was her own fault. Maybe if she had acted on his actions when he was younger she would not be here now. Maybe if she had left early on she could have spared herself. Yes. She was to blame. She knew that. And now what must the Kaiba brothers think. The older Kaiba definitely pulled no punches. It was humiliating. Would everyone question her judgment now? She did.

Lara heaved a deep sigh and padded to the bathroom. She looked at her green eyes, red rimmed and puffy, and realized she could not allow this to happen again. She looked at the weak woman staring back at her and knew that Leon would be her last mistake. Her eyes grew harder and with each breath she became more composed. It was a hard lesson to learn and while her heart was still in pieces, no one would ever reach it again. No one would break through her wall.

She stripped down, showered and climbed into bed. She would get all the rest she needed because from tomorrow, the plan would be set in motion and she was going after Schroeder Corp; Zigfried and Leon be damned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I thought with the side of Lara that she has now lost, with the brother she thought she had, gone and with Leon no longer being someone she can turn to, I felt like all the innocence in her life was lost. Hence the name of the chapter.


	8. Preparatory Measures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So happy birthday to Mokuba for yesterday! There isn't too much happening in this chapter, more like a set up for what's to come. I hope you guys enjoy :)

 

The next morning Lara woke bright and early. Despite her rough night, she felt well rested and ready for the day ahead. She decided to use the hotel gym, which was large and devoid of life. She supposed that was to be expected on a Sunday morning. She did her usual round on the circuit and ended off with a few laps in the pool before readying herself for breakfast. 

Lara had a few things that she had to get done. She had to email the documentation to the Kaiba brothers, find an apartment and a car and get some information from Germany that she desperately needed for her war with Zigfried.

Lara sat at a table by herself watching the other patrons merrily go about their business. Domino was an interesting place. It was beautiful and very technologically advanced which she could clearly see at her hotel, but the people seemed rather friendly. Her musings were cut short by the waiter placing her poached eggs and smoked salmon in front of her. She quickly devoured her meal, drank her orange juice and headed back up to her room.

She fired up her laptop and opened her email program. She attached the file containing the share agreements for Zigfried, Leon and herself. They were all pretty much the same save for the number of shares they each had given to them and the names on the documents. Her email was concise, she wanted the attachments to do the talking.

 

**Subject:** Share Agreements

**From:** Lara von Schroeder

**To:** Seto Kaiba, Mokuba Kaiba

**Date:** Sunday, July 23, 2017, 09:05

 

Good morning to you both, 

See attached documentation. We can chat about it later. Pay attention to the highlighted page, especially the section that reads:

“ _...has been allocated 21% shareholding of the company on the condition that he is to maintain the good name of Schroeder Corp and ensure the wellbeing of the entity. If he is unable to perform his duty or is to bring the company into disrepute by any means, he must immediately step down and his shares are to be purchased back at the price they were acquired. This will be enforced by the board...”_

Just a reminder, his shares were gifted, not purchased.

 

Kind Regards

Lara v. Schroeder

 

She quickly sent the email then typed out a text and sent it to both brothers.

“ _Hi check your email. Also don't purchase the additional shares yet. Will call later. Lara.”_

Lara had another email to send. This one would make hers and Kaiba's lives a lot easier. She quickly typed it out and sent it to her contact in Germany. She hoped he would respond within the day. She had no time to lose.

Just then her cell phone rang. It was the real estate agent.

“Ms Schroeder?” The agent asked.

“Yes.”

“How are you ma'am?” She greeted. “It's Mitsuki Hirata.”

“Hi Mitsuki. I'm good thanks and yourself?”

“Great thank you. I have an apartment to show you.”

“Wonderful! What time is the viewing?” Lara asked.

“It's currently empty so whatever time suits you.”

“I would prefer this morning, say in an hour? Text me the address and I will meet you there.”

“I will do so. See you soon.”

“Bye.” Lara hung up and called herself a cab.

 

* * *

 

Kaiba was finishing off a cup of coffee before he could leave for work when Lara's email and text arrived. He read and reread the text. He did not fully trust Lara yet and the fact that she had something under her sleeve was not helping matters.

“Hey bro.” Mokuba greeted Kaiba as he walked into the kitchen. “I take it you saw Lara's text.” He said as he drank milk out of the carton.

“Get a glass Mokuba and yes I did.”

“What do you think's up with that.” Mokuba asked grabbing a seat at the kitchen island.

“I don't know.” Kaiba sighed. “And I don't like it.” He said gripping the handle of his coffee mug firmly.

“Well maybe before we jump to any conclusions, we should wait to find out.”

Kaiba glared at Mokuba in response.

“Don't look at me like that. All I'm saying is that she has been honest so far, so let's just give her a moment to call us. She said she would.”

“Mokuba, have you considered that everything she has done so far has been a play?” Kaiba growled.

“At first, yes. But in the past few weeks, not at all. I really think she is done with Zigfried and Leon.”

“They are her brothers.” Kaiba stated flatly.

“Yes, but that doesn't mean anything. If Noah somehow appeared and wanted a place in Kaiba Corp, would you allow him in?”

“Of course not!” Kaiba replied.

“But you made room for me.”

“You are not Noah, Mokuba. And he was psychotic.”

“Exactly. I think those Von Schroeder brothers are her Noah.”

“As I remember it, Noah played you pretty well.” Kaiba said to Mokuba.

“Oh come on Seto! I was young. Leon is history. You heard that phone call last night.”

“Hmmm.”

“Seto, I think there is more to you not trusting Lara. And we both kn-”

“No Mokuba.” Kaiba said firmly.

“I'm just saying...”

“I know what you're saying. I don't want to hear it.” Kaiba said with an edge of finality. He got off the stool, placed his cup in the sink and picked up his attaché case.

“I'll see you later bro. Just please wait until later.”

“Fine. I'll see you at dinner.” Kaiba said as he left. Mokuba simply sighed at his retreating figure.

 

* * *

 

Lara pulled up to the address that the estate agent had texted her. The apartment block was a tall, thirty storey, glass and steel giant. She loved the way it looked from the outside. She hoped the inside was as impressive.

The agent was waiting for her in the foyer.

“We just have to sign in here with security before we can go up.” Mitsuki informed.

Lara quickly wrote down her name, contact number and signed to gain entry.

“This is a lovely building Ms Schroeder, with great amenities. There is a full gym on the floor below. Outside we have a beautiful pool.”

“How big?” Lara asked.

“Half olympic.”

“So twenty-five meters. Not bad I suppose. Depth?”

“One meter in the shallow end, three meters in the deep end.”

“Not bad. Continue.”

“Okay, so this way to the elevators please. Mitsuki's heels rhythmically clicked off the marble floors. She pressed the silver arrow pointing up and it glowed blue. The door smoothly slid open and both women stepped in.

“So ordinarily your residents' card would give you access to the floor you're going to but since we don't have one, this visitor's pass will do. You swipe the card here and press the button for the floor you are going to. The residents can go to any floor but with a visitor's card you can only go to the floor you are visiting.”

“I like that.” Lara said impressed. Mitsuki pressed the button for the twenty fifth floor. The lift rose smoothly, the LCD screen rolling the numbers by of the floors they were passing until it coasted to a halt. The doors quietly slid open and the ladies walked to a large mahogany door.

Mitsuki pulled out the key and unlocked the large, dark pivot door. Lara immediately fell in love with the apartment. She would not let Mitsuki know how much she liked it, she carefully arranged her faced in a stoic mask and looked around.

“Is there a reason for two locks and swivel door-guard?” Lara asked as she inspected the locks on the door.

“Not really. Every door in the building is the same. Most people here just use the one lock but maintenance checks that they are all working before any sale.” Lara simply nodded and continued looking around. The entry area had beautiful large beige porcelain tiles that matched the beige cladding on the wall with a ceiling to floor mirror in the centre. As she walked into the living area she noticed that the floors were all light coloured hardwood. It reminded her of her home in Munich. The kitchen was small but impeccably finished with marble countertops that opened out into the living and dining area which appeared to be more of a dining nook. There was so much light coming in as the windows seemed to wrap around most of the apartment. The office area was stunning. The desk faced the large window overlooking the city and Domino Park. Lara could definitely see herself working in this space. The bathroom was more of a wet room with a tub and shower designed with glossy tiles and chrome finishes. The bedroom sealed the deal. It was large and welcoming with the far wall covered in mahogany panels that Mitsuki revealed to be a walk-in closet. The balcony came off the bedroom and she was sold.

“I thought you said the place was empty.” Lara enquired. “There is a lot of furniture in here.”

“Yes, this place was purchased by a developer. He renovated so all the fittings are new and he furnished it so we could offer a full luxury apartment.”

“I see.” Lara said. “And how much is it?”

“One hundred and ten million yen.”

“What’s that in Euro? Eight hundred or nine hundred thousand?”

Mistuki did a quick calculation before she answered. “Yes, that is correct.” She was finding it very hard to read Lara. It was obvious that it was a great buy.

“I'll take it.” Lara smiled politely. “When can I move in?”

“Well we need to get some paperwork done but I would say within the month.”

“Perfect.”

Lara left the agent outside the apartment building and headed for a car dealership. The showroom was towards the edge of town and would be a bit of a drive. Lara decided to check her emails when her phone beeped to life. It was a text from Mokuba.

“ _Make sure you call later. Bro isn't happy not knowing what's going on.”_

She rolled her eyes as she read the message. Of course Kaiba was not happy. She did not give him any details in the message but she had no details, just a plan. She wondered just what it would eventually take for Kaiba to trust her. She needed him on her side. Mokuba seemed fine, but she knew that Seto Kaiba was the one who wielded true power.

She quickly texted back a response.

“ _I figured he wouldn't be. Just waiting for info. Will call later, promise.”_

She just needed that email.

Her cab pulled up at the car dealership. The four silver rings glistened in the mid-morning light. She instructed the driver to wait for her and that she would take a while. Lara walked through the grey tinted glass doors and looked at all the cars on the floor. She quickly spotted the one she was after. It was black, its cat-like lines gleamed in the artificial light. Even stationary, it's feline ferocity seemed barely contained.

“Can I help you ma'am?” A salesman came up to Lara.

“Yes. That black RS7, how soon can I have one?”

“Well that is our demo model. But if we can finalize everything today, you could have a new one tomorrow.”

“Then let's get started.”

It took Lara over an hour to sort everything out with the dealership but she was now the proud owner of another Audi. She missed her car back in Germany and she hated not having something to drive around in.

It was after lunch when she arrived back in her room. The first thing she did was check her emails. There was an email waiting for her. She held her breath as she opened the mail. _“Yes!”_ she thought as she read through it.

It was time to set her plans in motion.

Lara went to an internet cafe. She looked around to see if there were any cctv cameras pointing at any of the computers. She chose a seat that was in an obvious blind spot and created an anonymous online email account and attached some of the documents to an email, she fired them off to several media houses in and around Germany. Lara then made sure all the emails went out and deleted the email account.

She went back to the hotel and waited for the Schroeder Corp share prices to drop. Lara encrypted everything onto a flash which she would give to Kaiba. She decided to call him and hopefully squash any negative feelings that came about from her earlier text. She scrolled thorough her contacts and tapped on his name. It barely rang once before he answered.

“Kaiba.” Came his growl of a greeting.

“Hi Kaiba.” Lara greeted.

“Lara.” His tone was not friendly. She decided to ignore it.

“About that text I sent you guys this morning. I was waiting for some info from Germany. I needed to make it public discreetly so that I could get the world to change its mind about Zigfried. I have that now, I'll drop the flash off with you.”

“What's on it?” Kaiba asked.

“Remember when I said I may have a way to prove Zig had a hand in our father's death?”

“Yes.”

“Well now I do.”

“Come to the office.” Kaiba said and hung up.

Lara was about to call a cab to go to Kaiba Corp when she noticed Roland parked in one of the roadside bays. Lara sighed. Kaiba was infuriating. He was rude, cantankerous and curt but would then make thoughtful gestures. She shook her head as she went down to the car.

Roland was quiet during their short drive to Kaiba Corp and even as he led her up to Kaiba's office. She figured as Kaiba's right hand man, he would harbour similar suspicions and knew she would have to win him over as well. She knocked on the heavy wooden doors of the office and walked in.

“Hi Kaiba.” She greeted.

“What about me?” Came a voice behind her.

“Mokuba.” She smiled. “How are you?”

“Good good. Come have a seat.”

Kaiba was eyeing her the whole time. His face was impassive.

“First things first.” Lara said as fished out the flash drive from her purse. “This is the start of Zigfried von Schroeder's downfall.” She handed the flash drive over to Kaiba who plugged it into his laptop. “The reason I said don't move on the shares yet is because this story will break tomorrow if that, once that happens, the share prices will fall and then you can clean up cheaper than expected.” She smiled.

“Don't you think that Zigfried will find a way to bury this?” Kaiba asked.

“No.” Lara snorted. “Too many media houses have it and there is no one to clean up his image. They don't have me anymore, remember?”

“They could have got someone else. Maybe someone better.” Kaiba taunted. Mokuba simply rolled his eyes.

“They could have someone else but there is no one better than me.” Lara said firmly.

Mokuba thought he was losing his mind. Lara actually sounded like his brother right now. Kaiba opened up the files on the flash, he skimmed through the first few then looked Lara in the eye.

“You're going to bury him, aren't you?” Kaiba said in his low voice.

“Abso-fucking-lutely.” Came her response.


	9. Trust Issues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N So I was quite unsure about this chapter at first but eventually the words started to flow. I love Mokuba, so I'm giving him quite a prominent role in this story and I think his talk with Kaiba shows that Kaiba listens to him and how easily the two of them can communicate. It's awesome having a super close sibling!

“What does it say?” Mokuba asked.

“It's proof that Zigfried was poisoning our father. He had plenty of help though.”

“What?! Why would he...?” Mokuba could barely comprehend this kind of betrayal.

“He wanted control of the company. Simple.” Lara replied.

“But your father?”

“Was just a rich man to Zig.” Lara said bitterly.

“So how did he do it?”

“Zig and his mother arranged to have diazepam crushed and mixed into his nightly double whiskey.”

“That's awful!” Mokuba exclaimed.

“Have you met my brother? Awful is exactly what he is.”

Kaiba had been closely reading all the material on the flash drive.

“It was simple but effective.” Kaiba said.

“Yes, it was.” Lara replied.

“What made you suspect Zigfried anyway?” Mokuba asked.

“It was my father's symptoms and the fact that whenever he visited me over a week or whatever, it seemed more like withdrawal than anything else. After he passed and I went back to the states, I started researching the causes for his symptoms and that's when I realized that Zig poisoning him was a real possibility.”

“What sort of symptoms are we talking?”

“Confusion, disorientation, he became very accident prone, dizzy. Sometimes he would lose consciousness.”

“But something like Diazepam would surely require a prescription...”

“It does.” Kaiba said. “I take it this doctor is the one who wrote out the prescriptions.”

“Correct. The only reason I got this info is because I approached his partner, Dr Schmidt. He was very young at the time and not privy to a lot of info. Older clients belonged to Dr Wagner. After he died, which was early this year, Dr Schmidt contacted me back and said that he had found some of Wagner's older files. I managed to convince him to get all the medical records and send them to me and I would tell him when to go to the police. Zig has friends in law enforcement. I needed this info first.”

“So what's your plan? You are going to drip feed this to the media, confidence in Zigfried goes down. Leadership is compromised, investor confidence plummets...” Kaiba said.

“And I can keep the share price low until we are done buying it out. Zigfried looks progressively worse and that makes our lives easier with the board.”

“This works out nicely for us. All shares will be purchased through Kaiba Corp.” Kaiba mused.

“Yes, the rescue. At the same time, once KC has a certain number of shares, you will have to put in a bid to buy out Schroeder Corp.”

“And we will, at the board meeting.” Kaiba replied.

“Have you guys read the email I sent?”

“Yeah we did.” Mokuba replied. “Zigfried is going to get nothing when the buyback happens.”

“Exactly.” Lara replied with a smirk.

“The media is going to come after you Lara.” Mokuba said, concerned.

“They will for answers and I will have to play my role convincingly and diplomatically. Piece of cake.” She smiled.

“Leon might be implicated in this.” Kaiba reminded her.

“He chose his side.” Lara said with an edge to her voice.

 

Silence descended on the room. Kaiba was still reading the material he was given, Mokuba watched Lara closely as she studied Kaiba. Mokuba could see the darkness in both of them but he knew that Kaiba had a blinding light within him. He decided he would try to bring it out of Lara the same way he did with his big brother. No one deserved to walk around with so much pulling them down.

“Lara.” Mokuba started. “I know it isn't the start of the month but you could begin tomorrow.”

“That would be preferable. That way you can acquaint yourself with Kaiba Corp processes.” Kaiba added.

“I'm fine with that.” Lara replied.

“Be here at seven a.m. Security will get you a pass. Do not lose it.” Kaiba growled.

“Yeah, it has a chip that gives you access to areas you are permitted into. After security, you'll have to report to HR and then our press release can go out.” Mokuba added.

“Perfect.”

“Have you found a place yet?” Mokuba asked.

“Yeah I have. I'll be signing the papers this week and my car should be delivered tomorrow.”

“Nice! So what's the address?”

“Twenty-five oh one Park Towers.”

“That's a great building! Congrats! And the wheels?”

“Same as my car in Germany. Audi RS7.”

“Sweet. We must celebrate.” Mokuba winked.

“I don't know if I'm in the mood to celebrate.” Lara laughed.

“Sure you are. I'll introduce you to some of my friends.”

“Mokuba.” Kaiba warned.

“It will be fine.” He replied.

 

* * *

 

The next morning, Lara was at Kaiba Corp earlier than she was asked. She had ten minutes to kill and was shown into the security office to wait. At precisely seven a.m. a man in a black suit with an earpiece and closely cropped hair walked in.

“Lara von Schroeder?” He asked.

“That's me.” She said as she offered him her hand which he briefly shook.

“Fill this in.” He said as he handed her a tablet. She filled in all her personal information and handed it back. “Please stand in front of the white background.”

Lara did as she was asked. There were a series of photos taken and the man selected the best from the options in front of him. Her picture was printed on a card about the size of a cell phone, along with all the information she had just provided. The card was then laminated, a lanyard was attached and handed to her. She noticed the chip along with a small holographic foil bearing the Kaiba Corp logo on the front of the pass. She put the pass around her neck and inspected it. The picture was a bust shot showing her long black hair framing her fair face making her green eyes very prominent. Below the picture was her full name and designation. The back of the card was a list of important information.

Height: 178cm

Weight: 58kg

Allergies: None

ICE Contact: Mokuba Kaiba

 

She knew Mokuba would not mind and considering all that they were doing together, it would be best for him to know if anything went wrong.

 

Lara made her way to human resources which was a rather quick trip. After all the processes had been done, the officer showed Lara to her office. The entire marketing department had limited access but Lara soon found out that no door in the department was above her clearance. Once she was settled in, the officer left Lara to her day. She was given a great corner office. Two of her walls were glass. There was a large L shaped table in front of the one glass wall. It was modern and practical and exactly how she liked it.

 

There were already files on her desk and she started leafing through them, acquainting herself with the processes and procedures of Kaiba Corp, as well as the policies and lastly the personnel in her department.

 

Lara was halfway through the policy document when Mokuba walked into her office.

“Hey Lara.” He greeted.

“Hi Mokuba.”

“Enjoying the new office?”

“It is pretty amazing. The view is unbelievable.” Lara smiled. “I take it you guys sent out the press release.”

“Yeah, a couple hours ago. Why?”

“Take a look at this.” Lara said as she turned up the volume on the flat screen in her office. “Thanks for the tv by the way.”

“Pleasure.”

 

Almost all the morning business reports were running reports on Lara joining Kaiba Corp.

“ _In a surprise move, Lara von Schroeder has jumped ship to Kaiba Corp...”_

“ _...prompting some to believe that Schroeder Corp is in financial trouble yet again...”_

“ _...quite the coup for Kaiba Corp...”_

“ _...Leading some to believe that there was trouble between the Von Schroeder siblings...”_

“ _Presenter: Do you think this will affect the share price._

_Expert: I have no doubt. Kaiba Corp stocks are consistently gaining but Schroeder Corp fell another two percent this morning._

_Presenter: But surely a move to the competition is unexpected._

_Expert: On the surface it might seem so but I believe her talents are better suited to a larger...”_

 

She flipped through several channels with all running variations of the same story.

“Wow Lara, Seto was right about your name being good for business.”

“Yeah he was. I just need to make sure we run with the good publicity we're getting now.”

 

Mokuba stayed for a few more minutes then left Lara to her work. The first few days seemed to pass this way, with mostly research and notes but by Wednesday she was ready to meet the teams. She got her PA, Azumi, to arrange a meeting with the heads of department first and from there a meet and greet with the employees.

 

Lara was busy with Azumi when an email pinged in her inbox. It was Zigfried. She opened the mail despite wanting to immediately discard it.

 

**Subject:** Family

**From:** Zigfried von Schroeder

**To:** Lara von Schroeder

**Date:** Wednesday, July 26, 2017, 15:20

 

Dear Lara

 

Maybe we need to meet, put our differences behind us. After all, we are Schroeders, no?

 

Regards

Zigfried von Schroeder

CEO

Schroeder Corp

 

Lara knew exactly why he wanted her back but she really did not think he would ask.

 

**Subject:** Family

**From:** Lara von Schroeder

**To:** Zigfried von Schroeder

**Date:** Wednesday, July 26, 2017, 15:21

 

Zigfried,

 

We may be Schroeders but we are not family. I saw the news. Fix that yourself.

 

Kind Regards

Lara von Schroeder

Marketing and PR Manager

Japanese Region

Kaiba Corporation

 

Just as Lara had planned, news that her father was killed broke and insinuations that it was Zigfried had started to spread. Schroeder Corp stocks had fallen significantly overnight and she could only imagine the nightmare Zigfried now faced. This pleased her greatly. She smirked at her computer and continued with her PA.

 

It was close on four pm when Kaiba barged into her office.

“Kaiba.” She greeted in surprise. “I wasn't expecting you.”

“Save it.” He growled. She knew he had a temper but right now he seemed beyond fury.

“What's wrong?” Lara asked.

“Did you or did you not get an email from Zigfried asking you back?” Kaiba's words were slow and clear. The thought deathly silent came to mind.

“I did.” Lara said trying to control her fraying temper. Her logical side told her that losing control now was not going to diffuse the situation. “How did you even...?” She then realized how Kaiba would come to know that she received the email. Lara reached for the phone on her desk and called her PA's extension. “Azumi, in my office now.” She said evenly. “Kaiba I really thought we were getting passed all this crap.” Lara said stiffly.

Just then Azumi walked into Lara's office. “Miss Schroeder?”

“Did you tell Mr Kaiba that I received an email from Zigfried?”

“Leave her out of this!” Kaiba barked.

“I will not. You get a story completely out of context and I should leave it alone. No. We're sorting this out. Azumi, answer.”

“Yes ma'am. Well actually, I told his PA so she could.”

“Do you understand the full situation with my brother Azumi?”

“No Miss Schroeder.”

“And yet you thought it was best to go running off with half-truths. Go back to your desk. We will speak later.”

“Yes ma'am.”

“Kaiba.” Lara walked to stand in front of him. She drew herself to her full height and even though she was still shorter than him, he had to know that she was not intimidated by him. “I have been nothing but forthcoming. Go sit in that chair, wade through my pc. See what you find.” She half expected Kaiba to leave but he took her up on her offer. She bent over her desk and scribbled some notes down. She slammed the piece of paper down in front of Kaiba, followed by a few items. “That is my personal email and password, this is my social media password, my private laptop password, car keys, hotel key-card, phone and access card. Knock yourself out. I would appreciate it you leave everything as neat as you find it when you're done looking.” Lara was surprised her voice remained so even. She could hear the blood pounding in her ears. She pulled open her office door and slammed it shut behind her. She then went over to Azumi's desk.

“Azumi, I have no use for a PA that I cannot trust. I am watching you, one little slip up and you are out of here. Are we clear?” Lara said softly.

“Yes ma'am. I was just trying to help.”

“Your job is to help me. That's all.”

 

Lara headed down to the canteen to wait while Kaiba did his search. She also needed the space to calm down. She understood why he was distrustful but that did not stop her from being angry. She waited at her table for an hour and a half before Roland came in to tell her that she could go back up to her desk.

 

She walked in to find the place as she had left it. She took her seat behind her desk and rubbed her temples. She was no longer as angry as she had been and decided it was best to call Kaiba rather than to go to his office. She picked up the receiver and dialled his extension.

“What?” Came the irritated reply.

“Have you found anything that I haven't told you about?” Lara said acidly.

“Lara.” Kaiba's tone softened minutely. “Listen-”

“No you listen. I have already told you I will be upfront. All you need to do is ask and anything I tell you can be verified. I'm sure you have your means. But don't accuse me of things when I have been nothing but honest.”

She heard Kaiba sigh on the other side. She understood that having a Von Schroeder near was not easy and her heart did thaw a little.

“I did my search, I found nothing. I have no reason not to trust you with your work.”

“But you do personally?”

“Yes, and you know why.” Came his gruff reply.

“I do and I will try to be more considerate. If I am emailed again, I will be sure to BCC you in.” Lara hung up and went back to work. She wanted to just head back to the hotel and forget about this day but she was now two hours behind and she had to make it up.

* * *

“You did what?!” Mokuba exclaimed. “Oh Seto.” He groaned.

“Understand Mokuba, I had to.”

“Oh I understand, but it doesn't stop it from having been a lame thing to do bro.”

“Maybe.”

“What did you find out?” Mokuba asked.

“Absolutely nothing. She's been honest so far. I also ran through her German connections.”

“Seto, you're going to have to give her a chance.” Mokuba sighed. “We both know why she makes you uneasy.”

“Mokuba I really don't want to hear this.” Kaiba growled.

“Tough. She takes you back to a time when Gozaburo ruled our lives. It was you and Gozaburo versus Zigfried and Mr Schroeder.”

“Koen Landriche.”

“What?”

“That was his name.” Kaiba replied. He stood at his window and gazed out into the distance.

“Bro Gozaburo is gone. Don't let him destroy another good thing or potentially good thing.”

Kaiba knew that Mokuba was absolutely right but every time he saw her surname pop up it brought the past flooding back. He was not going to be controlled by his past. He was man who always looked ahead. That's where progress was. Kaiba sat back in his chair, facing Mokuba and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“You're right Mokuba.”

“Of course I am. Can I ask you something?”

“You’re going to anyway.” Kaiba sighed.

“Why are you going along with this plan to best Zigfried?”

“Because Mokuba, I gave Zigfried a chance before. He’s proven he can’t change. Besides, Schroeder Corp is still number two. I’d like to have every advantage possible.”

“Every advantage? Seto you realize that we are never going back. We are never going to see that orphanage again, we’ll never rely on anyone again.”

“I know that Mokuba.”

“Don’t you think that you are also doing this because you feel some sort of responsibility to Lara?”

“I don’t see how.”

“Seto come on! You’re talking to me here. You feel for her even if you don’t trust her. Why else would you have helped her thus far? Don’t say it’s because of me because we both know if you didn’t want to help you wouldn’t have.”

“In the same vein Mokuba, you could have said no when she proposed this plan. So why did you agree to go along with it?”

“Have I ever not helped you?”

“That’s not an answer.”

“I have a few reasons. I like Lara. She reminds me of you and I think she needs someone to help her back to the light. I don’t like what Zigfried and Leon have done to her. I also think it will help you lay some ghosts to rest.”

“What do you want me to say Mokuba?” Kaiba said with a hard edge to his voice.

“I want you acknowledge that you are helping her because it is the right thing to do. I want you to realize that Gozaburo is gone.” Mokuba sighed. “Look, don’t worry about Lara. I'll smooth this over.” He said softly.

Kaiba rubbed the faint scar on the base of his neck as he watched his younger brother walk out the heavy wooden doors.

 


	10. Haunted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, it's Saturday so that means another chapter. Not sure how good the proofing was because I have a cold and feel miserable :/ Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy :)

Mokuba knocked on Lara's office door and waited to be invited in despite the door being open. Seeing as how he had just let himself into her office on the previous days, she figured Kaiba had told him what had happened and he was testing the waters to see how upset she still was.  
“Come in Mokuba.” She said evenly.  
“Hey. Come get a drink with me.” Mokuba said brightly.  
“I can't Mokuba. Thanks to your brother, I am behind on what I wanted to achieve for the day.”  
“Yeah I heard. It will still be here tomorrow. I promise.” Mokuba replied. Lara sighed and put down her pen. She studied Mokuba, trying to figure out exactly what he was up to.  
“Lara, I will make sure you get back to the hotel at a decent hour. Just one drink.” He tried to convince her.  
“Fine. One drink.” She agreed.  
“Great! We'll drop your car at the hotel and take mine.”

Lara grabbed her coat and handbag and left with Mokuba switching off the lights as she went. The drive to the hotel was quick and she was silently pleased that she had bought an apartment so close to the hotel. Her daily commute would not have to change much once she moved in. Mokuba followed her, waited for her to park her car and come back out. He had his car idling in one of the roadside bays when Lara walked out of the hotel entrance. She walked around to the passenger side and gracefully climbed in. Mokuba roared off, quickly catching the tail end of the day's traffic. The sun was starting to set, casting red and orange hues over Domino.

Mokuba snaked his away around the city, using all the shortcuts he knew to get to their destination with the least amount of traffic.  
“It's great when you know all the secret routes.” He winked as he parked his car in a diagonal bay. Lara followed him into the bar that was bathed in golden light. The place was full of people with a constant hum as everyone interacted with each other. Mokuba led Lara up a staircase to a booth at the back of the bar. It was much quieter there. She noticed that their area had another bar counter, smaller than the one downstairs but also neater, with fewer people. Lara took a seat opposite Mokuba.  
“I come here for drinks with a few buddies of mine sometimes.” Mokuba said. Just then a waitress in black pants, a white shirt and black waistcoat arrived at their table.  
“Hi, can I get you some drinks?” The waitress asked.  
“Yeah, a rusty nail, a basket of fries and what are you having Lara?”  
“A Jager bomb.”  
“Really?! A Jager bomb?!” Mokuba said in disbelief.  
“Yeah. What's wrong with that?” Lara smirked.  
“Okay, a Jager bomb then.” Mokuba smiled at the waitress.  
“Sure. Should I bring the drinks with your fries?”  
“Please.” He replied with a wink. The waitress walked away and Mokuba smiled at Lara. “I had you pegged for red wine or martini girl.”  
“Never judge a book by its cover.”  
“Clearly.” He smiled.  
“This is a nice place.” Lara commented, looking around.  
“Yeah it is. They're discreet here and I never get bothered by anyone. I actually know the owner. He's a good friend.”  
“That's really nice. I take it you don't come here with your brother.”  
“Are you kidding? He's too much of a workaholic. Besides, the owner and Seto can't stand each other.”  
“Why?” Lara asked curiously.  
“I think it's because they are both way too competitive and stubborn. You should come out with me. I'll introduce you to the guys.” Mokuba said.  
“I don't know Mokuba. We'll see.”

The waitress then arrived back at the table carrying a tray with three glasses and a basket of fries. She placed a short glass of golden liquid with three large blocks of ice, in front of Mokuba then placed a large glass filled a third of the way with a sweet-smelling energy drink. A tot glass filled with almost black liquid was placed next to it. She then put the basket of fries between Lara and Mokuba.

“Can I get you anything else?”  
“No thanks. We'll be fine.” Mokuba said. The waitress smiled and left them alone. Mokuba picked up a French fry and bit into the hot, crispy, fluffy spud. He seemed to really enjoy it and Lara helped herself to some.  
“Lara, about today.” Mokuba started.  
“Forget it.” Lara said stiffly.  
“No. I want to apologize. Seto should not have gone about things the way he did.”  
“No, he shouldn't have.” Lara agreed.  
“But I understand his reasons.” Mokuba continued.  
“So do I, but it doesn't stop the whole situation from pissing me off.”  
“I get that but I also don't think you fully understand. Seto is finding it hard to trust you and it's not because of anything you did.”  
“Then what is it? My name?”  
“Partly. How much do you know about Gozaburo Kaiba?” Mokuba asked quietly.  
“Not much. He was unpleasant from what my father told me. A real dictator. Kaiba also said he detested him but that's about it.”  
“We both did.” There was an edge to Mokuba's voice that Lara did not like. “Basically, you bring back memories that Seto doesn't want to visit. He doesn't want to remember that time with Gozaburo but you are a constant reminder of the competition between the families. Ultimately, Gozaburo is a ghost that comes back to haunt Seto every time a Von Schroeder is around.”  
“I see.” Lara could sense there was more to what Mokuba was saying but it could only be negative which was why he was being vague in his explanations.  
“Seto becomes a bit more protective and more ruthless and is usually more aware of dangers when your family is around.”  
“But I am not my family. I never will be.” Lara sighed. “I want to be mad at Kaiba but it's hard to stay mad when you explain it like that. How do I stop bringing up memories of your stepfather? I have no control over that.”  
“You don't. Seto will get over it. He always does.”  
“The way you speak, it's like Gozaburo was some lurking monster or something.” Lara could tell from the look on Mokuba's face that she had hit the nail on the head. “Oh Mokuba, I'm sorry. I don't mean to pry.”  
“Don't worry about it. I think one day, Seto will be the one to tell you. It's not really my place.” Mokuba replied. Lara nodded her head in understanding. She picked up her shot glass, dropped it into the larger glass and drank the fizzing concoction quickly. She placed the glasses back on to the table and smiled.  
“I will try to be more considerate and calm when dealing with your brother. Even though he can try my patience sometimes.”  
“I appreciate that.”

The two of them sat at the table chatting for a long time. There was a genuine friendship forming between the two of them. The topic of work did not again come up. Instead, Mokuba wanted to know about Lara's life in Germany, her interests and other businesses. It was getting late and they were soon on their way home. Mokuba dropped Lara off at the entrance to the hotel, waited until she was safely inside then left.

The next day Lara was at Kaiba Corp early. She turned on the tv in her office and saw that several channels were running stories on her father's death and the allegations that Zigfried had something to do with it. She checked several news sites she was subscribed to as well and every one of them had articles relating to Schroeder Corp and the Von Schroeder family.

She knew she had to brace herself for the tidal wave of attention and public scrutiny that was about to come her way but she would handle it like she always did, with grace, diplomacy and aplomb.

Lara checked her email and saw a notice of the next board meeting. She then checked the share price of Schroeder Corp stock and was glad the decline was consistent. Lara quickly printed the email and took it with her to Kaiba.

His secretary had just arrived and told Lara she could get a few minutes if she went in now. He was busy for the rest of the day. Lara thanked her and knocked on the heavy wooden doors before opening it and letting herself in. Mokuba was in Kaiba's office. The two of them seemed to be having a fairly serious chat. She felt bad for interrupting but this could not wait.

She noticed Kaiba's eyes roam over her body. He looked at her shapely legs, the pleasant way her skirt curved over her thighs, the way her coat cinched in her waist. Her hair was up in a ponytail for a change and her bangs were swept across her forehead making her eyes look even greener. Kaiba realized he was staring and tore his eyes away from her and looked back down at the papers on his desk. Neither of them noticed Mokuba smirk as he witnessed their wordless interaction.

“Sorry for disturbing but I thought you'd want to see this.” Lara said handing over the details of the meeting to Kaiba.  
“We don't have much time.” Kaiba said looking over the pages.  
“No, we don't. We should chat to Gunther asap.” Lara said.  
“Yes. You worry about your shares. I will take care of the rest.” Kaiba said authoritatively.  
“I'm fine with that.” She replied. “I can be of assistance if you need it.” Just then her phone sprang to life. It was not a number she recognized.  
“Lara, hello.” She answered.  
“Ms von Schroeder?” Came a male voice she did not recognize.  
“Yes, how can I help you?”  
“This is Jakob Muller. I'm calling you from a publication called-”  
“Yes Jakob.” She said cutting him off. “I am familiar with your work. What can I do for you?” She mouthed the word “reporter” to Kaiba and Mokuba and placed the call on loudspeaker.  
“We would like a statement from you regarding the allegations against your brother.”  
“Yes well, as far as I know he has not yet been formally charged with anything but the allegations are very troubling. As you can imagine it is a very stressful time for the family and we hope that there can be a speedy resolution. My father was a well-respected man, as is my brother. Having this come up again opens old wounds for me and my family which I'm sure you can understand, is not easy.” Lara said sounding strained, there was just a hint of emotion for the reporter’s benefit.  
“Thank you for that but I would like to know what if the allegations are true?”  
“I hope with my entirety that it won't be but we have full faith in the justice system. I don't believe Zigfried has anything to hide.”  
“Assuming that is true, why did you leave Schroeder Corp?”  
“I got made an offer I could not refuse. I was keen for a new challenge.”  
“Danke Miss von Schroeder. I will send you a copy of the article once it is published.”  
“Thank you for that Jakob. Have a good day.” Lara said pleasantly and ended the call.  
“You're good.” Mokuba smiled.  
“You had doubts?” She retorted smugly. “Well, I guess I'll leave you guys to it.” She turned to leave when her phone went off yet again.  
“Aren't you popular today.” Mokuba joked.  
“It's Zigfried.” Lara said. She quickly answered and once again put the call on loudspeaker. “Zigfried.”  
“Lara.” Zigfried greeted in his over accented voice. “It's good to hear your voice.”  
“I highly doubt that. Why are you calling so late? No beauty sleep?” She mocked.  
“Lara,” Zigfried sighed, “it is time you chose a side, yes. Herr Kaiba or your family.”  
“I'm sorry, what?!” Lara said in disbelief.  
“You heard me.”  
“I did, I just thought I was hearing things. You want me to come back and fix this PR mess you have.”  
“It's more zan zat. We are family, no?”  
“No. Like you pointed out so many times, I'm an orphan. I have no family.” Lara said evenly.  
“Lara, all will be forgiven. Just come back to your home.”  
“Easy for you to say. Nothing is forgiven and if you want me to choose a side, look at the share prices. That will show you where my loyalties lie.”  
“Zen you are one of zem.”  
“Looks like. Good bye Zigfried.” Lara hung up. “Kaiba, I'll get a hold of Gunther today. We need to move soon.”  
“Yes, we do. We'll sort this out later.” Kaiba said.  
Lara nodded and left the office. She headed back down to her own office and flopped down on her chair. Zigfried not getting what he wanted was always a bad thing. She needed to make sure she was prepared for whatever he would throw at her and the Kaibas. The Kaibas. She really enjoyed being around them. She felt a thrill run through her when Kaiba looked her over. That was not something she should entertain. But it felt good and he was rather magnificent. He pushed her lusty thoughts away and tried to focus on the work she had ahead of her.


	11. Germany

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So firstly, this chapter is based on fictional business principles so if it seems weird, that’s why and secondly, I apologize to anyone who speaks German. Google translate was my friend while writing this lol. If anyone speaks German here and notices that something is wrong, please PM me. I hope you guys enjoy :)

As promised, Lara contacted Gunther and the next day Kaiba was acquiring twenty-four percent of Lara's Schroeder Corp shares. She kept a steady eye on the decline in Zigfried's public image. Everything was coming together nicely.

Kaiba was also well on his way to securing the additional fourteen percent he wanted in order to have the fifty-one percent majority between him and Lara. With barely three weeks until they had to leave for Germany, Kaiba, Mokuba and Lara wanted to make sure they were prepared for any eventuality.

Over the coming weeks, Lara noticed that Kaiba was making more of an effort. He did not jump to the least trusting conclusion whenever something went wrong and he had more civilized conversations with her whenever she worked late or when Mokuba invited her over to the mansion. She did not know if it was due to Mokuba or since the incident with Zigfried’s email or something else entirely, but she appreciated it immensely and in turn always kept her temper in check and was entirely transparent with both brothers.

Lara now knew that the board meeting would determine how she and Kaiba moved forward. It would be her final test to prove he could trust her. She fully intended to win that trust once and for all.

Soon they were making their arrangements for their trip to Germany. Lara offered to handle everything but Kaiba insisted they take his jet and that his PA would handle all the details. Kaiba rambled about efficiency but Lara was starting to understand Kaiba a bit better and thought he was just being thoughtful without making a fuss.

The board meeting was scheduled for Monday at noon, they had agreed leaving Sunday was best but it left Lara with a lot to do, what with her moving into her new apartment and the preparing of documentation. Still, she was never late a day in her life and she did not plan on starting now.

Lara had already boarded the jet and settled in one of the soft blue seats when Mokuba and Kaiba arrived.  
“Morning Lara.” Mokuba yawned.  
“Morning.” She greeted them both.

Mokuba settled in the seat next to her with Kaiba sitting across from her. They buckled themselves in and Kaiba immediately placed his laptop on the polished wood table between them. Lara watched him keenly. “Delicious” she thought to herself before Mokuba’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.

“Don’t you just hate morning flights.” He complained.  
“Mokuba, it’s a private plane. You could nap pretty much anywhere.” She laughed. “Why are you so tired anyway? I mean you knew for weeks that we were leaving early.”  
Lara saw Kaiba smirk as he pointedly looked at Mokuba.  
“Oh, shut up both of you. Just because you guys don’t have lives.” He pouted.  
“What makes you think I have no life?” Lara said laughing.  
“Really?” Mokuba deadpanned.  
“Okay fair enough but I will have you know, I do know how to have a good time. I just like making money so that I can have an even better time.” She winked.  
“You know there’s more to life than fancy toys.” Mokuba replied.  
“How dare you say that!” She feigned outrage.

A disembodied voice filled the cabin informing them that the doors were being closed and the details of their flight. Soon they were taxiing the runway. Lara looked out the window as they lined up on the straight; the scenery flashed by in blur as the plane picked up speed. She saw the ground start to disappear below her and they were airborne.

“This is a very comfortable way to travel.” Lara remarked, still staring out the window.  
“Haven’t you travelled by private jet before?” Mokuba asked.  
“I have but it has been years. My dad was still alive then. I was quite little.” Lara said.  
“But surely it’s still available to Schroeder Corp.”  
“To the CEO only, who had it repainted lilac Mokuba. It’s lilac.”  
Mokuba burst out laughing. “Oh man! I forgot about that.”  
“Yeah, it’s burned into my retinas.” Lara joked.  
“Didn’t people ask you about that?”  
“They did but I said that Zigfried did it as a tribute to his mother as it was her favourite colour.”  
“And was it?”  
“Of course not.” She laughed. “But I had to think on my feet and people loved Zig for that. Such a sensitive son.” She snorted.  
“That must be great to charm the ladies.”  
“Zigfried isn’t into ladies. Leon and I are the only ones who know.”  
“How do you keep that a secret? I mean I’m sure Zigfried is watched all the time.” Mokuba said.  
“It wasn’t my place to say anything. He had to keep it a secret. Can you imagine what his mother would do?! She would not tolerate anything like that. Zig needs to produce an heir.”  
“How is he going to get around that?”  
“I don’t know what his plan is. He will never want to disappoint her though. He genuinely loves his mother. Still, this has no bearing on his evil deeds so I never used it as blackmail material.”  
Mokuba smiled at her response. He looked at his brother who had his arms crossed on his chest, and back at Lara.  
“What?” Lara asked.  
“Nothing.” Mokuba said.  
“Spit it out.”  
“You’re nice.” He laughed.  
“Excuse me?”  
“Well, you have this tough exterior and you like to keep everyone at arm’s length, but you have this strict sense of right and wrong. Like you have something that could harm Zigfried in his mother’s eyes but you won’t use it because it isn’t the right thing to do but you know that if the roles were reversed, Zigfried would do it in a heartbeat. You’re a lot like someone else I know.” Mokuba said evenly.  
“I… well… I’m not him.” She said softly. She did not like the fact that Mokuba could see who she was. Kaiba noticed her discomfort and gave Mokuba a look, he got the message.  
“Anyway, I’m going to take nap.” Mokuba said and disappeared behind the polished wooden door at the back of the plane.

“He’s a bit too perceptive.” Kaiba said as he opened his laptop.  
“Yeah.” Was all Lara could think of as a response. She wondered if what Mokuba said was true. Was she really like Kaiba? She could not see it. She pulled out her laptop and opened the agenda for the meeting the next day. She looked up catching Kaiba’s eye as he studied her. She was caught in his intense gaze. His blue eyes pinning her in place. He cleared his throat and went back to work.

The flight was long and Mokuba was asleep for most of it leaving Kaiba and Lara alone. They chatted about the next day, but mostly they worked in amiable silence.

Mokuba woke up with two hours to go on their flight. He joined the other two just as their meals were served. He was ravenous and devoured his plate of food before the other two were close to done.  
“You two are going to be exhausted when we land.” Mokuba said. “Have you done anything other than work?”  
He was met by the same look from both Lara and Kaiba and chuckled to himself. Soon the pilot informed them that they would be starting their descent shortly and they put away their laptops. Kaiba leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes trying to get a little bit of rest before they arrived. Mokuba caught Lara staring but said nothing.

“So, Lara are you going to go visit your other business while you’re in town.” Mokuba asked.  
“Yeah. I don’t often get to drop in unannounced. MIM is doing well but I like to keep them on their toes.” Lara saw Kaiba smirk and knew he was listening to their conversation.  
“What does MIM stand for again?” Mokuba asked.  
“Munich Independent Media.” Lara replied. “I also want to stop by S&S to see how some of our property development is going.”  
“Can I ask you something?” Mokuba asked.  
“Sure.”  
“Why did you stay at Schroeder Corp when you have these other businesses? And then you accepted our offer which took you to another continent entirely.”  
“Well, when I first started studying I felt like this field was the best one to get into for me to accomplish all that my father had asked me to and initially I felt bitter because I thought my talents could be used for so much else. But the more I got into it, I realized that I really enjoyed it. I just had to give it a chance. The other things felt like good ideas you know. I never wanted to be in a situation where I was completely dependent on Schroeder Corp but I really loved my job. So when you guys offered me the job at KC, I jumped at the opportunity. The pay is good too.” She joked.  
“Don’t you miss your life here?”  
“Sometimes. But I think it was just the comfort of home. I haven’t had any real friends here. I only did when I studied abroad but even then, they were just fun people to be around.”  
“Lara the loner.” Mokuba said without thinking.  
“Actually, that’s exactly it. I preferred it. Sometimes letting people in makes you weak.”  
“And sometimes they can make you stronger. It doesn’t matter anymore though since you have friends in Domino.” Mokuba smiled.  
“Yes, I do.” She agreed.

The sun was shining brightly when they landed in Munich. It was nine a.m. and thankfully they were able to quickly make their way through the airport to the car rental where Lara signed for the keys to a luxury saloon. Kaiba got into the passenger seat next to her and Mokuba climbed in the back.  
“You know the hotel would have sent a car.” Kaiba said as he buckled himself in.  
“I do, but you guys are in my city now.” She smiled and pulled out into the morning traffic leaving the airport. She turned on the radio and switched on the traffic programme control. A voice came across informing her of heavy traffic in certain areas.  
“Lara shouldn’t we be on the A9?” Mokuba said looking at his phone.  
“Don’t you trust me?” She smiled. “No there is traffic on that route. This one is better.”  
Kaiba watched her out the corner of his eye as she tapped the steering to the beat of the music playing on the radio. She seemed relaxed as she weaved her way through the sea of cars, taking her short cuts as she went. Half an hour later, they were checking in at the hotel.  
“It's great when you know all the secret routes.” She winked at Mokuba.  
“Point taken.” He laughed.

To their great surprise, Kaiba went to check them in. He asked for an extra key card to all three suites and in next to no time they were all heading up to their rooms. Lara watched as Kaiba handed Mokuba the key card to his and Mokuba’s rooms and handed Lara the key card to her room. That way Kaiba had a key to both her and Mokuba’s rooms. She looked at Kaiba quizzically.  
“It’s safer this way.” He drawled. Lara shook her head but said nothing. She knew he was uneasy about being in Zigfried’s den.

The three of them agreed to meet in the dining room for dinner and entered their suites. Lara was really happy with the choice of hotel. The luxurious surroundings lifted her mood. She decided a shower was in order. It would have been more comfortable if it was the shower in her apartment but she had told Kaiba’s PA to book her into the hotel as well just for the convenience of being in the same place.

The day passed with the three of them preparing for what would be an interesting Monday. They had all met for an early dinner as Lara suggested that they have an early night. She was exhausted and needed to be well rested to deal with Zigfried.

The next morning, she was up at seven. Lara had a long shower, taking her time in readying herself. She had a strong cup of coffee, dressed in a charcoal three-piece suit with a black shirt, slipped on her black suede stiletto pumps and let her ebony hair fall around her shoulders. She picked up her bag and was ready to go.

Kaiba and Mokuba were both ready as well. They had spent the last half hour chatting about how the day would go. Mokuba was adamant that he did not need to be at the board meeting and Kaiba gave in solely because Mokuba had a valid point. They did not want to spook the board members and having two Kaibas present would not be the best idea to win everyone over. Once they sorted out the issue of Zigfried, Mokuba was more than willing to meet everyone.  
“Besides,” Mokuba said, “I know you’ll tell me everything anyway.”  
“I will.” Kaiba sighed.  
“Today is a big day bro.”  
“Yes, it is. Today we know once and for all if we can trust Lara completely.”  
“Because we haven’t found this out in all the weeks we’ve known her.” Mokuba said sarcastically.  
“It’s different when you have the support that she will in there.” Kaiba said plainly.  
“That’s true but I reserve the right to say, ‘I told you so’ when she keeps her word.”  
“Fine.” Kaiba said, rolling his eyes.  
“Good luck bro.” Mokuba called as Kaiba slipped on his black suit jacket and left.

Lara was about to knock on his door when Kaiba opened it. Her jaw dropped when she saw him but quickly closed her mouth.  
“Morning Kaiba. You look nice.” She said pleasantly.  
“You don’t look too bad either.” He replied.  
“Thanks.”

They rode the lift down together, climbed into the hired car and headed for Schroeder Corp. They arrived at the office just before twelve and were shown up to the boardroom. Everyone was already seated when Lara walked in to take her seat.  
“Lara! How good to see you.” Zigfried greeted her with fake enthusiasm. “I did not expect you. I thought you vere going to send your proxy.”  
“I had a change of heart.” Lara smiled. “Morning gentlemen. Shall we sit.” She addressed the others in the room. Leon locked eyes with her but did not know what to say. Everyone sat down and Zigfried noticed the empty chair at the tail end of the table. Kaiba then walked in and Lara had to stifle a smirk at the shocked look on Zigfried’s face.  
“Hello Zigfried.” Kaiba greeted.  
“Herr Kaiba. How interesting to see you. I sink you may be lost, zis is not my office.”  
Kaiba pulled out the chair and gracefully sat down placing his hands on the table.  
“Vot are you doing?” Zigfried asked.  
“I think for the sake of clarity, we should address the shareholding of Schroeder Corp first.” Kaiba said smoothly.  
“Good idea Mr Kaiba.” Lara said.  
A man in a pinstripe suit next to Lara opened his documents and cleared his throat. He looked very uncomfortable.  
“If we could all turn to page twelve, we can see the change in shareholding.”  
“How can zis be!” Zigfried exploded.  
“Sir, the Kaiba Corporation now owns thirty-eight percent of Schroeder Corp. This means that Mr Kaiba represents the majority shareholder.” The man said, and Kaiba smiled passively at Zigfried.  
“Ausgeschlossen!” Zigfried yelled.  
“Zigfried, please remain calm. This is not an appropriate reaction.” Lara said calmly.  
“Zis vos your plan!” Zigfried accused Lara.  
“Actually, it was your carelessness.” Kaiba said. “This company's share prices have never been lower. It was an opportunity not to be overlooked.”  
“While we are on the subject of shareholding.” Lara said as she passed around a dossier. “I have handed to all of you evidence that Zigfried was responsible for the death of this company's founder, Mr Koen Landriche von Schroeder. I do believe the police are in possession of this as well. Given the tarnished public image Zigfried now has, along with this new evidence and the fact that he arranged for my kidnapping and attempted murder-”  
“You have no proof of zat.” Zigfried spat.  
“But I do.” Kaiba said as he tossed a file onto the middle of the table.  
“Thank you Mr Kaiba. As I was saying, given Zigfried's crimes, I move that the board enforce clause two point three A in the share agreement.”  
“I will second that.” Kaiba said.  
“All those in favour of removing Zigfried from Schroeder Corp, please raise your hand.” Lara said. They did not need to count the hands, only Leon and Zigfried's hands were down. “Motion carries.”  
“You can't do zis!” Zigfried exclaimed.  
“Actually sir, in addition we will have to buy back your shares. However, since you did not purchase them, there will be no money involved in this buyback.”  
“How soon, can we finalise the buyback?” Lara asked, ignoring the look of shock and rage on Zigfried's face.  
“I had a feeling something like this would happen so I have the paperwork here. Mr Von Schroeder just has to sign.” The gentleman pulled out a document and pen and placed it on the table.  
“Please sign this.” Lara said.  
“I vill not!”  
“You don't have a choice. It was a clause we were all aware of.”  
Under the intense gaze of every set of eyes in the room, Zigfried signed and initialled the document which Lara handed back to the man in the black suit.  
“Lara!” Zigfried said harshly.  
“Don't Zigfried.” She commanded. “We are still in a meeting and everything you say will still be recorded. When the police ask us for records we will hand everything to them. So unless you want to incriminate yourself more, don't say it.”  
“Zis is not ze end. Mark my vords.”  
“I think it is. Please leave this room. You are no longer privy to the information shared here.” Lara said.  
Zigfried slammed the glass door on his way out. She knew there would be consequences for what happened but all she cared about, was getting the company back on track.  
“Lara.” Leon said softly.  
“Don't worry, we haven't forgotten about you Leon. You were complicit in my kidnapping but I am willing to make a deal with you. Step down willingly as vice president, we will take back the shares in the same way and I will not press charges against you.”  
“Take it Leon. You won't have a criminal history following you around. It’s a good deal.” Kaiba said.  
Leon was considering their words. He was painted into a corner and he knew it.  
“You must understand, this company is all I have. What would I do without it?”  
“You have an education people can only dream of and you have a fair amount of money to your name. I think you'll be fine.” Lara smiled. It was the first unguarded smile Kaiba had seen from her, but that moment of openness was fleeting.  
“I have only ever wanted what was best for this company.” Leon said.  
“I understand that. We are now doing the same.” Lara replied.  
“Fine, I'll do it.”

The documents were signed and handed back. In that meeting, Leon finally realized all that he had risked and everything he had lost. He silently cursed himself for ever having followed Zigfried. Lara always told him to not be naive and he had finally learnt his lesson. Boy! Was it a hard one to learn.

Leon left the boardroom in much less dramatic fashion than Zigfried. The members got back to the agenda. Kaiba informed them that he intended on purchasing Zigfried's shares.  
“Mr Kaiba, once you purchase forty percent you have to put in a bid for a buyout.” Black suit said.  
“I am well aware of that. My offer will be based on the share price as of this morning.” Kaiba said.  
“Mr Kaiba, surely you understand that is far too low a price.”  
“Actually, it's not.” Lara interjected. “The share price is going to drop further. However, if we announce that we have aligned with Kaiba Corp, we will see a dramatic strengthening. So we have the choice of taking Mr Kaiba’s offer now, or waiting for Schroeder Corp to go into freefall before looking for a rescue at an even cheaper price. Personally, I would rather not risk the jobs of the thousands of people in this company, and take the Kaiba Corp bid.”

The rest of the meeting went well. The board accepted Kaiba's offer and Schroeder Corp would be owned by Kaiba Corp by the end of the year. Lara was able to get everyone to see how the rescue would bring them better gains than they have ever had. At the end of the meeting everyone shook hands with Kaiba and welcomed him to the company. There was a lot to be ironed out but it was no issue for him.

Lara and Kaiba were about to leave the boardroom when the man in the black suit stopped them.  
“Lara can I speak to you.” He said.  
“Yes sure.” She replied. He looked at Kaiba, it was obvious he wanted to speak to Lara alone. “Mr Dreyer, anything you want to say to me, you can say in front of Mr Kaiba. I trust him implicitly.”  
“Okay. I just wanted to say that today, your father would have been proud.”  
“Thank you.”  
“Really. You remind me a lot of him.”  
“I don't know if that's a good thing.” Lara laughed.  
“Koen was a good man.”  
“No, he wasn't.” Lara replied. She had no illusions about who her father was.  
“He was to his children. You were always his favourite.”  
“That's nice of you to say. Whether I was or wasn't didn't help him at all.” Lara said softly.  
“That is true. Just be careful Lara, Zigfried is dangerous.” Mr Dreyer said as he looked at Kaiba.  
“I always am. Besides, there is a reason Mr Kaiba has the nickname he does.” She smiled. Lara leaned in and placed a small kiss on his cheek. “We'll see you soon.”

Kaiba and Lara walked out of the building to the rental car which was parked in the bay she usually used whenever she was at the office. She smoothly reversed the car out of the bay and eased it onto the road, heading for their hotel. Kaiba was glad the day had gone to plan but more than that, he now trusted Lara and that felt like a massive weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He was the first to break the silence in the car.  
“Were you ever comfortable with it?” Kaiba asked. Lara looked at him slightly confused. “Schroeder Corp when it was a weapons manufacturer.”  
“No.” She breathed. “I hated it. I wanted my father to change focus for years but he insisted it was the family business. I think it was one of the reasons why I was bitter about what my father requested of me initially. You?”  
“No. I always wanted to tear it down. I made a promise to Mokuba which I kept but it was more than that.” Kaiba replied.  
“To build something that created happiness, brought people together, made them whole instead of tearing the world apart.” Lara said. “When you have a crappy childhood, you almost want to make sure no one has to go through that. I was grateful when Zigfried changed the company's focus.”  
“Did you ever tell him that?” Kaiba asked her.  
“No.” She snorted. “I didn't like my brother, Kaiba. I wasn't going to pay him a compliment. We all have a petty side.” She laughed.  
“So, what is this nickname I have?”  
“Oh, um... you're known as Der Drache von Domino. It means the dragon of Domino.”  
“I can live with that.” Kaiba smirked. “What was my stepfather called?”  
“Gozaburo. People here knew that calling someone by their surname was a sign of respect, so they never did.” Lara said and Kaiba barked a laugh.

The two of them drove back to the hotel in good spirits and most importantly at ease in each other's company. It was a proper start to a great friendship that they both needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: *Ausgeschlossen: impossible, out of the question
> 
> I did not specify a luxury saloon because I am biased and it will always be an Audi for me and in this case it would be an A6 but I wanted you guys to picture whatever you like best


	12. Aflame

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So just by the way, I'll be combining elements of manga, dub and sub canon. Also, there isn't much reference made to certain character's parents in the world of Yu-Gi-Oh! which suits me perfectly because I can take a bit of license with them. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this week's chapter and comments are always welcome :)

 

 

 

It was still quite early when Lara and Kaiba arrived back at the hotel. She informed him that she would be going to drop by MIM that afternoon since she now had the time. She left him at the entrance to the hotel and headed off.

Kaiba headed up to his suite. He knew Mokuba would be waiting there for him. He found him in the living area, working. He was quite proud of how well Mokuba took to his duties. He never shirked his responsibilities and Kaiba's trust in his abilities never once wavered.

"Hey bro." Mokuba greeted. "How did it go?"

"Well." Kaiba smiled. He slipped off his jacket, took off his tie and sat ankle over knee, on the couch.

"Tell me what happened!" Mokuba demanded. Kaiba relayed the story as it happened from the moment they reached Schroeder Corp until Lara dropped him off at the hotel.

"So then Lara did exactly as she promised." Mokuba smirked.

"Go ahead Mokuba." Kaiba sighed.

"I told you so!" He laughed.

"Yes, you did. You will have to be at the press conference tomorrow."

"I'll be there." Mokuba said.

"Good." Kaiba replied.

The brothers whiled away the hours working. Lara was also busy. She was rather happy with the way things were being run and her unexpected visit did not seem to faze the employees at all. She had an impromptu meeting with the various department heads, there was not much negative that was reported and what was an issue, she knew she could sort out whether she was in Germany or not. It was just after six p.m. when she left the office. The roads were fairly clear and in no time, she was back at the hotel.

She knocked on Kaiba's door and informed the brothers that she would be taking them to her favourite restaurant to celebrate how well the day had gone. Lara quickly freshened up, changed into a black lacy dress with long sleeves that stopped just above her knees and she was ready to go. She picked up her bag and closed the door behind her.

Kaiba and Mokuba were waiting for her at the elevator. He still wore his suit but he no longer had his tie on and the top button of his shirt was open. She greedily took in his appearance. He was very distracting indeed. Mokuba looked great as well in his black jeans and blazer. Kaiba appraised her body as she walked toward them, staring at her long shapely legs.

Mokuba called for the lift which arrived with a soft ding. The three of them got in and rode the lift down together. They climbed into the car and Lara drove across town to the only restaurant she missed since moving away.

She brought the car to a halt at a tall building, handing her car keys to the valet. She led Kaiba and Mokuba to the elevators which took them to the top floor. The doors opened to a warmly lit space. The restaurant took up the entire top floor. The windows wrapped around the whole restaurant affording them a view of Munich from every angle.

They walked up to the maître d' who wore a tuxedo and stood behind a lectern.

"Hello Klaus." Lara greeted.

"Ms Schroeder. It has been a while." The maître d' responded.

"It has." She smiled.

"Well we can fix that tonight, yes?" He smiled back at her. "Table for three?"

"Yes, but I haven't made a reservation."

"There is always place for you. Just follow me."

Lara smiled back at the two brothers who followed her to the back of the restaurant. They were seated at a table next to the window allowing them full view of the sunset over Munich.

"Thank you, Klaus. This table is lovely." Lara said.

"It's a pleasure. Please take a look at our menu, I will send someone over to take your order in a moment." Klaus said and left them to their menus.

"What's good here Lara?" Mokuba asked.

"My favourite is the veal schnitzel. It's heavenly."

"That sounds interesting. Maybe I'll try that."

"I think you should. You should look at something to drink first. I always get a sauvignon blanc with the veal."

"Okay, let's go with that." Mokuba agreed.

"And you Kaiba?"

"The same."

The waiter arrived at their table and Lara ordered for the three of them. He soon returned with a bottle of their finest Sauvignon Blanc and poured the wine into their glasses with a flourish then placed it in the ice bucket next to their table.

"To a job well done." Lara said raising her glass, clinking it against Mokuba's then Kaiba's glasses.

The three of them enjoyed the evening together. The food was delicious and there was no longer a cloud of doubt over the three of them. Lara had proven herself trustworthy. They tucked into their meals and chatted freely over dinner. Lara regaled them with stories of life in Germany and the many pranks she had pulled on Zigfried as children.

Mokuba insisted that they stay for dessert. Everything seemed so good on the menu. The waiter arrived once more to take their orders.

"I'll have the lavender panna cotta with strawberry-rhubarb compote." Mokuba said.

"Very well sir."

"A slice of black forest cake for me and a coffee."

"Yes ma'am."

"Just a coffee." Kaiba said in his low drawl.

They did not have to wait long for their order and when Lara took the first mouthful of the rich chocolatey cake, she was thankful Mokuba insisted on dessert.

"Oh, this is so good!" Mokuba exclaimed between mouthfuls.

"Everything is good here." Lara replied. "Would you like a bite?" She scooped a piece of cake onto her fork and offered it to Kaiba. She half expected him to turn her down but instead he bent down and wrapped his lips around her fork, slowly taking all the cake she had offered him. Her breath hitched and heart stuttered.

"It's good cake." He smirked.

Mokuba chuckled to himself and Lara continued to eat her dessert, she was not sure how; she was pretty sure that her jaw was still on the floor. He made her lose her train of thought. Mokuba caught Kaiba's eye and had a smile plastered to his face for the rest of the night.

The three of them finished off their desserts, climbed into the car once more and headed back to the hotel. They had not travelled very far when the sound of her ringing phone travelled through the car speakers. Lara did not recognize the number displayed and pressed the little phone button on her steering to answer.

"Lara, hello."

"What have you done?!" A woman's shrieking and heavily accented voice pierced through the car.

"Annette. I take it you've spoken to your son then. Tell him if the Schroeder Corp jet is not in its hangar in Munich by 8am tomorrow, I will be adding charges to his extensive list." Lara said harshly. Kaiba noticed the immediate change in her and the carefree Lara from dinner had disappeared in an instant. She radiated hatred, her knuckles stretched her skin as she gripped the steering wheel.

"You're no match for Zigfried!" Annette raged.

Lara chuckled. "You know, it is the very fact that you underestimate people that has led you to this point. I didn't have to do much. Dr Wagner kept records of everything. Do you really think he wouldn't have had insurance?" Lara said smoothly. She was met with silence on the other end. "Now the world will know the truth about you and Zigfried. I'll make sure of it."

"You don't scare me!" Annette had found her voice.

"Don't I? Hmm, well, you and your son killed my father, you took his company and you say you're not afraid of me." Lara said evenly. "I will burn your world to ashes." She enunciated every syllable.

"You think you can make threats to me?!"

"I have never threatened you. This is a promise."

"I housed you. Educated you, and this is how you repay me? I should have forced Koen to drop you at an orphanage. You were never wanted!"

"My father gave me a home and an education, not you. Don't forget Annette, that house you live in is his. Built with Schroeder Corp money. You have no shares in the company, you have no land, all you have is a bit of money. A rich lady with nowhere to go."

"It's Zigfried's house! My son's land!"

"For now." Lara said smoothly.

"You would take away Leon's home?" Annette said manipulatively.

"Don't you dare use Leon against me!" Lara thundered. "You and Zigfried already have once and once is enough. Don't expect him to come back to you."

"You think you can take my child away from me?"

"I already have." Lara fired back.

"This is not over." Annette threatened.

"Oh! I'm counting on it." Lara pressed the little phone button cutting off Zigfried's mother. She was so overcome with hatred and anger, she could not see straight. She was breathing heavily, desperately trying to reign in her temper.

Mokuba and Kaiba looked at her cautiously. They were both at a loss as to what they could do to calm her down. It was a good thing that the restaurant was a distance from the hotel. By the time they had reached the parking, Lara had calmed down substantially. They rode the elevator up to their suites in silence. She was about to walk to her door when Mokuba grabbed her hand and gently pulled her back, enfolding her in a hug. She rested her head on his chest for a moment then pulled away.

"I'm fine Mokuba." She said softly.

"I know, but if you want to talk, you know where to find me." Mokuba smiled.

"Thank you."

Mokuba disappeared into his room. She turned to go to her suite but Kaiba stopped her.

"Lara." He called.

"Kaiba, I really am okay." She managed a small smile and went to her room. She closed the door behind her and flopped down on the couch. A lot had happened in the day and she just felt weary. Lara pulled herself together, went to the bathroom and splashed some cool water on her face. Her ire had subsided and all she wanted now was some time to just unwind and forget all her stresses.

She decided to draw herself a bath. Lara poured in her favourite foam bath and watched as the gushing water created troughs and peaks in the suds. It occurred to Lara that she should probably apologize to Kaiba and Mokuba for the display in the car and pulled out her phone and sent a text.

" _Sorry about earlier. Shouldn't have lost it like that. Thank you for being understanding."_

She tossed the phone onto her bed, stripped off her clothes and entered the bathroom. The scent of lavender swirled around her. She turned off the tap and climbed into the hot bath, a sigh escaping her lips as she leaned back. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to be completely at the mercy of the bubbles. Lara lost track of time entirely. The water was starting to cool slightly so she reached over and grabbed her razor, deciding to shave her legs before bed.

She thought her heard the door but dismissed the idea. After all, she was in a hotel with a door no one could get into without a card. She continued pulling the razor in long motions along her legs when the door to the bathroom opened. Her leg was perched on the side of the tub, the razor held in place on her shin. Kaiba walked into bathroom.

"Kaiba! Do you mind?!" She exclaimed, trying to get her heart under control. Kaiba took in her appearance. The way her wet hair clung to her neck, how the suds kissed her skin, keeping her modesty but trying to tell the secret of what lay beneath.

"Not at all." He smirked. His eyes were too focused. She put her leg back in the water and tried to submerge deeper, but the way he looked at her made her squirm.

"Can I help you?" She asked.

"I thought you'd like to see this." He walked towards the tub holding his tablet out to her. She wiped her hand on her towel and took it from him.

"Are you kidding me?!" She grinned. "This is amazing!" She scrolled through the article which had only just been published. Zigfried had been arrested at the airport when he tried to fly back to Berlin. There were several shots of him in handcuffs. The article laid the facts out pretty clearly. Zigfried and his mother were painted to be callous murderers, it was Christmas to Lara. She handed the tablet back to Kaiba.

"Can you give me a moment?" She asked. Kaiba left the bathroom and Lara quickly got out of the tub, dried herself off and slipped on her short satin shorts and matching pyjama top. She knew it was revealing but right now she was too tired and too elated to care.

She walked out of the bathroom and sat next to Kaiba on the bed. She could feel the electricity between them as their shoulders touched when she sat down.

"Are you ready for the fallout?" Kaiba asked her while still looking at the screen.

"I am." She replied. "We just need to be careful."

"This story is everywhere. You're going to have to address it in the press conference tomorrow." Kaiba said.

"Yeah I know. It will be fine though. I'll make sure."

Kaiba brushed against her as he stood to leave. It was like every accidental touch sent shockwaves through her system. She followed him to the door which he opened and stepped out.

"Hey Kaiba." She said and he turned around to face her. "Thank you." She reached up on tip toes and placed a kiss on his cheek. They both felt the fire radiate from it. Kaiba studied her face and managed, with great difficulty, to tear himself away and head for his own room. Lara closed her door and sighed as she leaned against it.

"Oh Kaiba." She whispered to herself.


	13. The Ties of Friendship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey everyone, I know it isn't Saturday but I thought I would celebrate Women's Day in my country by posting a chapter :D So in honour of all the strong women in history, here's a strong woman to read about :) Hope you guys enjoy and as always, comments are very much welcome

Chapter 13 The Ties of Friendship

The reporters assembled in the press room at Schroeder Corp, noisily taking their seats. Once everyone had settled down, Lara walked out and stood behind the lectern which had several different microphones fixed to it. The board, Kaiba and Mokuba followed her out and took their seats behind her. She watched as they settled down, looked at the lilac rose logo of Schroeder Corp, took a deep breath and steeled herself for the announcement. She nodded almost imperceptibly at Kaiba who nodded back. Lara turned around to face the sea of curious faces and began what would likely be the longest press conference of her career.

“Good morning everyone. We have big news here at Schroeder Corp and I'm sure you are all wondering what could be greater than the current headlines.” There was a hum of agreement and several nodding heads in her audience. “Well, Schroeder Corp is pleased to inform you that the company has been acquired by the Kaiba Corporation.” At these words, there was an eruption of noise. “Please settle down, we will have a question and answer session afterwards. Kaiba Corp is already the majority shareholder of Schroeder Corp and the buyout will be completed within the next five months. We are working closely together and with consultants to ensure that we have as few redundancies as possible with the least number of layoffs. We have complete confidence in the new leadership and direction of the company. Thank you. I will open the floor to questions now.” There was an explosion of voices and Lara had to hold her hand up to gain back some control of the room. “Please, if we can have one at a time. Please raise your hands; once you have been picked, stand and state your name and publication before asking the question.” Several hands flew in to the air. There were many questions and all reporters obeyed her request.

“If Kaiba Corp is already majority shareholder, this process began a while ago. What made this a viable exercise?”

“Under the previous leadership of the company, a failed takeover of Kaiba Corp was staged. This lead to a serious fall in investor confidence and with the overall confidence in leadership falling drastically, Schroeder Corp was vulnerable in the market. Mr Kaiba saw an opportunity and with the share price having already started falling, his offer was generous.” Lara answered clearly.

“This can't be just a charitable project for Kaiba Corp though.”

“No, of course it can't be. It is good business to rescue a company with the history and market share that Schroeder Corp has and in joining the Kaiba Corp family, we will have created a worldwide giant in the electronic gaming industry capable of offering more services and products.”

“Miss Schroeder, you have not yet addressed the issue of Zigfried. Please can you enlighten us on the situation.”

“Well I am sure you are all aware of the charges brought against him. He has been voted off the board and will have no further participation in Schroeder Corp. This stands regardless of the outcome of his impending trial. Naturally, we are all devastated by the revelations, even more so for me as he is my brother. All we hope for is a speedy conclusion to what is a very trying period in both my history and the history of the company.”

“Will you be attending the court proceedings?”

“If I am required to, I will. However, my home is now Domino so I will not be staying on in Germany.”

“Do you think this company's founder would approve of this acquisition? After all, Kaiba Corp has always been the competition.”

“My father always had a vision of a successful company that could provide for its family of employees and continuously grow. I believe that the acquisition by Kaiba Corp is fully in line with that vision.”

“What has happened to Leon von Schroeder?”

“Leon decided to step down from his role as vice president. He was not entirely comfortable with Zigfried no longer being the head of this organisation but fully understood the reasons for the board's decision and has decided to pursue other projects. Schroeder Corp and Kaiba Corp wishes him well in his future pursuits.”

The questions went on for a while afterwards. There was no question that Lara could not handle and she informed the press that there would be more announcements made later on. They all had to pose for a few pictures that would undoubtedly be in the afternoon papers and various television broadcasts.

Mokuba's presence was well received by the board as well, and Lara was very thankful that he had such a charming personality. He made her job a whole lot easier.

Once everyone had dispersed, Lara informed Mokuba and Kaiba that she would be going to attend to some business at her other company and that she would meet them at the hotel later. They both agreed as they wanted to spend some time with the board discussing the future. Suddenly that future seemed a lot brighter.

* * *

 

Lara looked out the window of the Kaiba Corp jet as they flew high over the earth below. They would be home in just under eight hours and she was trying desperately to stay awake. She was trying to keep herself on Domino time so she could readjust to the time difference. She really hated whirlwind trips. They always messed with her sleep.

She had been looking over the share prices, there had been a serious upturn in Schroeder Corp shares which everyone attributed to the involvement of Kaiba Corp, just as she had predicted. Lara tried to focus on her laptop once more but it was not easy with her tired eyes. A notification popped up with a ping that caught her attention. It was an email from Leon.

 

**Subject:** Apology

**From:** Leon von Schroeder

**To:** Lara von Schroeder

**Date:** Wednesday, August 16, 2017, 22:12

Hi Lara

I know that I'm probably the last person you want to hear from but I needed to find a way to tell you how sorry I am. I'm sorry I trusted Zigfried. I'm sorry I lied to you. I'm sorry and ashamed to have put you in danger. I finally understood on Monday what you've told me my whole life. I have no real words to express how deeply I regret everything. I never once thought Zig was capable of murder, but here I am, faced with what my mother and brother did to you, to us... I don't know. I know you don't trust me but maybe one day I can make it up to you. Will you give me that chance?

You were right when you said I was naive. I listened to everything my mother and Zig said, I believed them. This has been a hard lesson to learn and because of it I lost the only good thing I had. I don't know if this means anything to you now but I'm never going back. Not to my mother or Zig or that house. I'm going to stay in Munich for a while and see what happens from there.

This isn't an excuse but you don't know what it's like to walk among giants. You and Zig were perfect. Father needed you both and you were equals. You have always been just as smart as him, just as sharp, just as deadly and I could never measure up. I wanted to be a real Schroeder, like you guys. I messed up.

I also want to thank you for not saying anything about me. You kept your word like you always do. I'm an idiot. I love you Lollipop.

Leon

 

Kaiba noticed the shift in her mood. Mokuba looked at his brother who nodded in Lara's direction. She tried to keep her emotions in check but the anguish was clear on her face.

“Lara, are you okay?” Mokuba asked gently.

“Yeah. It's just an email from Leon.” She replied as she spun her laptop around so that Kaiba and Mokuba could read the email.

“He is an idiot.” Kaiba said.

“Seto!” Mokuba admonished. “I agree but still.”

“Kaiba is right. He is an idiot.” Lara said softly.

“What are you going to say to him?” Mokuba asked.

“Nothing. I have nothing to say.” Lara replied. “Please excuse me. I just need to freshen up.” Lara disappeared behind the door of the bathroom. She splashed a bit of cold water on her face and took a deep breath. She had a lot that needed doing and she had no time to deal with Leon. She tried to bury whatever she felt and went back to work.

She approached the table she was sharing with the brothers and saw that that had both put away their work and had a chess set out. It looked like their game had only just started. Lara decided she was too tired to focus on work anyway and put her things away as well. She watched Kaiba as he moved the white pieces and smiled at how long it took Mokuba to make his moves.

“Do you play?” Mokuba asked.

“No. I have a basic idea of how each piece moves but I never really learnt how to.”

“You could learn now.” Kaiba drawled.

“I could. Let me watch you two first.” She said. It was not a very long game. Lara thought Mokuba did pretty well to hold his own but Kaiba did not think so.

“You'd think after eighteen years you'd do better.” Kaiba smirked.

“Oh whatever. I miss the days when you'd let me win.”

It was fun to watch the brothers tease each other. It allowed her to see a different side to both of them. She had always heard that they were close, but having been in their company for the time she had, she could see they were so much more than just brothers. They were friends, confidantes, and fiercely protective of each other.

Mokuba reset the board. Kaiba suggested that she play Mokuba and he would coach her along. He was actually a very good teacher and was surprisingly patient.

“You're not anticipating his moves.” Kaiba said after her second loss. “You need to form a strategy. Plan a few moves ahead. You're never going to win if you keep focussing on his immediate moves.”

After a little while, she started to get a hang of what Kaiba was explaining. After an age, and much coaching, she won her first game.

“Did you see that?!” She exclaimed. “Let's go again.”

“We have created a monster.” Mokuba sighed.

Lara knew what they were doing and she appreciated it immensely. It was a nice distraction from Leon.

 

“So, I have a question for you Lara.” Mokuba said.

“What's that?”

“Can you teach the staff to make schnitzel?”

Lara barked out a laugh. “Oh Mokuba! What makes you think I can cook?”

“I assumed.” He said sheepishly.

“I can't cook. I'm really bad at it.”

“What? But you've been away from home for most of your life.” Mokuba said with surprise.

“Yeah, and I'm really good at the art of ordering.” She laughed. “I just never learnt how to. Besides, I never had a mother figure to teach me those things. I can do scrambled eggs if that counts.”

“It doesn't.” Kaiba deadpanned.

“That's a pity.” Mokuba said. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be insensitive.”

“Don't worry about it. I don't even remember her. She's some sort mythical creature.” Lara smiled.

“I suppose with you being so young when it happened...” Mokuba trailed off.

“That's exactly it.” She replied.

“Did you ever find out what happened?” Mokuba pressed on.

“I did. She was in a car crash. Apparently, she lost control and careened into a guardrail.”

“Wow. That's pretty hectic.”

“Yeah, but all things happen for a reason. There's no point looking to the past constantly, it can't be changed.” Lara smiled.

“That's true.” Mokuba agreed.

The flight went quickly but Lara thought that may have been because the company was good. Kaiba could not stay away from his work for too long and Lara and Mokuba moved away from Kaiba so that they would not disturb him as they chatted for a few hours. She felt that Mokuba did not receive enough credit from the world. In her interactions with the twenty-three-year-old, she could see that he was incredibly intelligent, funny, caring and great to be around with a wisdom beyond his years. She did not realize it, but slowly he was tearing down her walls.

“Today seemed a little out of character for your brother.” Lara stated as she looked over at Kaiba.

“I'm sure it seems that way.” Mokuba smiled. “But he's often in a good mood. Nobody really sees it and at work everyone is far too terrified to interact with him. I don't blame them, I've seen him fire people for years but it's never without reason. But this is my brother.” Lara could sense the awe and admiration behind his words.

“You guys are close. It's nice to watch.” Lara said.

“We've been through a lot together.”

“I can imagine.”

“Oh, before I forget. I'm getting together with my mates on Saturday. One of our friends is coming home for bit and we haven't seen her in a while. Come with. It will be fun.”

“Mokuba, I don't know. I don't even know your friends. It could be awkward.”

“Nonsense. They'd love to meet you. I'll come fetch you at two.”

Soon they touched down and all three of them were exhausted. They quickly got their luggage and left the airport. Roland was waiting in the limo, ready to take them home. They reached her apartment building first. She bid them all goodbye and headed up to her apartment. It was nice to have a home to go to.

Utterly spent, Lara climbed into the shower. She hoped that it would help keep her awake just a little while longer. She just needed a good night's sleep. She switched on her tv, watching blankly as time marched on. She was adamant that she would not lose the battle with her eyelids. She was not quite sure how she managed to make it past eight pm, but she did. At least she would be able to function a little at work at the next day.

Over the next two days, Lara got into the office just before work started and left as the work day ended. She did not work any extra hours, even though she did want to. It was taking her a while to get back into her daily rhythm.

She promised Mokuba she would go out with him on Saturday but once it came around she cursed herself for it. All she craved, was a relaxing day at home. Still, it might be nice to meet a few other people in Domino. Mokuba had told her that it was fairly casual and not to go to any trouble. Lara always maintained that image never took a day off and today was no exception. Even when she was not working, people would still associate her with Kaiba Corp. She got dressed in a loose fitting white tank top, dark blue jeans and smart flat white sandals. Her straight hair was held up in a ponytail and she finished her look off with a little black eyeliner and a dab of lip-gloss.

Mokuba was exactly punctual, arriving precisely at two. He knocked on her door and she let him in. She showed him around her flat which he quite liked. She grabbed her handbag and they headed down to his car. They climbed in and he sped off with roar to a coffee shop near the waterfront. A group of people watched as the red Jaguar F type came to a stop outside the café. Lara walked beside Mokuba as he approached the group.

“Mokuba! Hey man! It’s been a while.” A tall guy with brown hair said as he bumped shoulders with Mokuba. “Who’s your friend?”

“Hey everyone, this is Lara. Lara this is Tristan, Joey, Tea. She’s the reason we’re here today. She’s just come back from the states.”

“And this is Yugi Motou.” Lara said as she shook everyone’s hand. She noticed a tall blonde woman appraise her and knew that she might be less than friendly. She extended her hand to her anyway. “Mai Valentine, am I right?”

“That’s right.” Mai said snobbishly.

“Have a seat guys.” Joey said. Lara noticed that he had a very interesting accent. It seemed misplaced among everyone else.

Mokuba pulled out the chair for Lara. They sat next to each other, between Mai and Tristan.

“Don’t mind Mai. Once you get to know her she’s cool.” He discreetly whispered in Lara’s ear. This group seemed to be important to Mokuba, she could see that he was very comfortable in their presence. It was for this reason that she decided she would make an effort to get along with them.

“Tea what were you doing in the States?” Lara enquired.

“Oh, our Tea here is a dancer.” Joey answered.

“That sounds fascinating.” Lara said.

“Yeah, I studied dance there and then got a place in a company. I’m just back for a holiday in between productions.”

“That’s really cool.” Lara responded.

“How do you and Mokuba know each other?” Tristan asked.

“Mokuba and Kaiba helped me out in a really tough time not too long ago. We struck up a friendship and now I work at Kaiba Corp.”

“So, you were unemployed before you met Mokuba.” Mai said.

“No. I was working in Germany in the family company. Kaiba offered me a job.” Lara said evenly.

“Yeah, we poached her from the competition.” Mokuba joked.

“The competition?” Yugi said. “Schroeder Corp?”

“The same.” Lara replied.

“You’re a Schroeder?!” Mai exclaimed.

“That would be the implication if I worked in the family business.” Lara retorted.

“Mokuba what are you doing with a Schroeder?!” Mai asked stiffly.

“Give her a break!” Mokuba defended. “Lara is cool. Besides, do you think my brother would let her work at Kaiba Corp if she weren’t.”

“You can’t trust them.” Mai said folding her arms across her chest.

“Come on Mai. Give her a chance. Leon was cool.” Joey said. Mokuba looked at Lara as Joey said this. Lara simply sighed.

“I’ll say this once. My name is Lara von Schroeder, half-sister of Zigfried and Leon. I have no real ties with them anymore and I am not my family. If you can’t get past my name, there is no real point in me being here.” Lara moved her chair out to leave but Mokuba stopped her.

“Lara, stay. They’ll behave. Won’t you guys?” He said forcefully.

“Fine.” She said to Mokuba.

The atmosphere was tense and uncomfortable. It really was not Lara’s idea of a great day out. Tea tried to dissipate the tension.

“Guys, why don’t we order something.” Tea smiled.

“Good idea Tea.” Tristan replied. He motioned for a waitress to come over and take their order. They all told her what they would like, she bowed and left.

“Lara what do you do at Kaiba Corp?” Yugi asked.

“I handle the marketing and PR for the Japanese region. It’s actually a lot of fun. KC is a great company to work at.”

“Are ya kidding?! Rich boy owns it!” Joey exclaimed.

“Joey.” Mokuba groaned.

“Excuse me?” Lara said.

“You remember at the bar I said a friend owned the place…” Mokuba motioned at Joey and she immediately understood.

“You know, if you got to know Kaiba, you might find that you’d like him.” She chuckled.

“Oh great. A fangirl.” Mai mumbled.

“I don’t expect you to understand Mai, but there is a lot to Seto Kaiba. And no, I’m not a fangirl but I do count him as a friend.”

Mokuba grinned at Lara. He knew there was more brewing between Kaiba and Lara than just friendship but he was not going to say anything.

“Who thought we’d see the day that Kaiba has a friend.” Tristan teased. Yugi cleared his throat. “Okay apart from Yugi but that’s because you are too nice dude.”

“Tristan have you had anything interesting to deal with recently?” Mokuba asked as he leaned back in his chair, crossing his ankle over his knee. It was interesting to see that Mokuba never took anything the group said against Kaiba seriously. She was curious about that.

“It’s been slow dude. I guess that’s a good thing but I need a case I can sink my teeth into.”

“Tristan is a detective at DCPD.” Mokuba explained to Lara.

“You guys have quite a diverse range of fields. Law enforcement, game shop, dancer, business owner, model.” Lara observed.

“Yeah, were most of your friends in your field?” Tea asked Lara.

“Nope. Never really been one for friends. I moved around too much.”

“That’s a pity.” She replied.

“Not really. I got to see so many parts of the world.”

“Where have you been?” Tea asked.

“Well in terms of where I’ve lived, I was born in Berlin, schooled in Frankfurt, US and England. Then I started work and lived in Munich. It’s a beautiful place.”

“It really is.” Mokuba added. “I need to go back.” He chuckled.

“You just want to go back for the food.” Lara laughed. Mokuba winked in response.

Their coffee and cakes arrived. Lara was starting to enjoy herself. She tried ignoring Mai as often as she could and she found that the others were friendly and easy to talk to. She could see why Mokuba liked being around them.

“Mokuba, when are we hitting the track again?” Tristan asked.

“You race?” Lara raised her eyebrow at Mokuba.

“Mostly karting with Joey and Tristan.”

“How is this the only thing you have not told me?” Lara questioned.

“It never came up.” Mokuba shrugged. “I meant to when I saw the car you bought but I was distracted by you and Seto trying to kill each other.”

“Oh right. There was that, but that was weeks ago.”

“Well you know now. Would you like to join us next time?”

“I’d love to.”

“Great!” Joey exclaimed. “But we won’t take it easy on you just because you’re a girl.”

“And I’ll try not to embarrass you too much when I win.” Lara challenged.

“Oh, I like you.” Tea laughed. “Give these guys hell.”

 

Lara found Yugi to be very quiet. He seemed to rather witness any interaction than actively participate. She could see that there was little that he missed.

“Lara, I just realized. I saw you in the paper the other day.” Yugi suddenly said.

“I’m not surprised. The news broke a few days ago.” She replied.

“What news?” Joey asked.

“Kaiba Corp has bought Schroeder Corp.” Yugi informed.

“What?! That’s huge.” Tristan chipped in.

“Yeah. Kaiba and Mokuba are going to be the rescue the company needed.”

“You have such faith in us.” Mokuba teased.

“Is it misplaced?” She smirked.

“Of course not! Bro and I can do anything.” Mokuba said proudly.

“You guys are being used.” Mai said, staring daggers at Lara.

“Mai, I don’t expect someone who gets by on their looks to understand how business works.” She fired back. “And Kaiba is smart enough to know when to go for a proposal and when not to. It isn’t possible to use him.”

“Sounds like you are hanging around for other reasons. No one defends Kaiba like you are. And I worked for Kaiba Corp.” Mai fired at Lara.

“I have no idea what you mean.” Lara said dismissively.

“You know what I am talking about. If Schroeder Corp is bottoming out, you are just trying to worm your way in with Mokuba and Kaiba.” She accused. “Watch out for her Mokuba.” Mai warned.

“Mai, it isn’t like that.” Mokuba said severely.

“You know what Mai. Yeah of course I’m just here to fuck Kaiba and take what I can of his company.” Lara raged on ignoring the shocked faces around her. “It absolutely is not possible for a woman to hold her own in the presence of geniuses and improve their business. And it definitely isn’t possible for a respected businessman to see the value in a competitor and headhunt them. These things have never happened.” Lara said caustically.

“Lara.” Mai said standing up.

“Save it!” Lara said drawing herself up to her full height. She was only slightly taller than Mai but it was an effective movement. “I’m leaving. It was very nice to meet you all. I look forward to seeing you again. Joey, I doubt we’ll meet again, your girlfriend here seems quite irrational.”

“Lara, I’ll give you a ride home.” Mokuba said quickly.

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll catch up later.” Lara turned and left the group. Her phone rang as she walked away. “What?” She answered without looking at the caller id.

“I don’t think I care for that tone.” Kaiba said smoothly. Lara audibly sighed.

“Sorry Kaiba.” She said in a softer tone. “What’s up?”

“We need to talk about a few things. Come to the mansion.” He instructed.

“Sure. I’m just going to head home and fetch my car. I’ll be over soon.”

“Good.” He hung up.

Lara headed home unaware of the berating Mokuba had unleashed on his friends. She would find out eventually, but for now, she had business to take care of with Kaiba.


	14. The Business of Pleasure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey everyone, I decided to post this a bit early since my Saturday is going to be crazy and I might not have the time. Rather be early than late :D I hope you all enjoy and FYI, the mature warning applies to this chapter in particular

Lara tipped the cabbie as she got out at her building. She quickly went up to her apartment, grabbed her car keys and laptop, switched on a light and left. She hated coming home to dark flat and she did not know how long she would be at the Kaiba mansion.

She got into her car and started it up. It came to life with a throaty grunt and with a smile on her face, she drove off in the direction of Kaiba’s home. The roads were fairly quiet so her trip did not take too long. She was becoming quite accustomed to the streets of Domino and did not have to rely on her navigation so much anymore. She soon found herself on Kaiba's tree lined street and pulled into the long driveway. She informed the guards that she was expected and they let her through.

Lara parked her car in front of the garage and headed for the front door where she barely had to knock before it opened. A maid showed her in to the lounge where she took a seat waiting for Kaiba to appear. She did not have to wait long.

“Lara.” He greeted as he appeared in the doorway.

“Hi Kaiba.” She greeted back. It was the most casual she had ever seen him. He wore black jeans with a white shirt that was not tucked in and his feet were bare. It was never a good idea to mix business and pleasure but Kaiba was very appealing and quite frankly, he was starting to blur the lines for her.

“Come up to the study.” He said. She followed him up the wide staircase to a room that made her question why he bothered leaving the office at all. His study was a smaller version of his office at Kaiba Corp. She idly wondered how healthy this was. Kaiba had not trusted her sufficiently to allow her into this room on her previous visits. She knew for certain now that nothing could really shake his trust in her. She had proven herself.

“I wanted to talk to you about the future of Schroeder Corp. You called it correctly in the markets.” Kaiba said as he sat at his table. He motioned for her to take the seat opposite him. She took her phone out of her hand bag and placed her bag on the couch that was to the side of the room. Lara sat in the offered chair and waited for Kaiba to continue. “I was looking through your plans for the Japanese region. I'm impressed.”

“Well, you knew what I could do before you hired me.” She replied.

“Yes. I have a few ideas for Schroeder Corp but I want your opinion on it.”

“I'd be glad to assist but I'm a bit surprised that you would be asking my opinion. Surely this is something you intend discussing with Mokuba.”

“And I will be. Now look these over. Tell me what you think.” Kaiba said as he handed her a few files. She leafed through them as she paced the room. Kaiba got off his chair and leaned against the front of his desk.

“This is interesting for sure. I completely understand changing focus a bit. There is no point having two companies doing exactly the same thing when manufacture is cheaper here. There is definitely a huge market for mobile gaming consoles and mobile gaming itself. There are millions of casual gamers out there. I like it. I think we would cover the entire gaming industry this way, from commercial clients down to the least skilled gamer. Revenue sources would be diverse and if there is a dip in any one side, the entire ship isn't affected.” She closed the file and handed it back to Kaiba. “I think there are additional options this way as well. Limited edition phones, we'd work in conjunction with phone manufacturers. Even create a mobile console meets phone type of device. That would appeal to the teenage market. I also think we should look into development services. Could help up and coming creators but we could take a percentage and having our name attached sells more units and gains us valuable publicity. Additionally, I like the name change. Schroeder Gaming. I'd tag on 'A division of Kaiba Corp'.” She finished.

“You have some good ideas. And I agree with your insights.” Kaiba said. “Note down your additional thoughts.”

Lara pulled out her laptop, sat in front of Kaiba and noted down everything they had spoken about. Their discussion went on for a while longer. Her fingers flew across the keys as she tried to record everything. Lara took off her sandals and sat cross legged in her chair with her laptop balanced on her thighs. They had a good flow going when Lara’s phone rang. It was placed on the table next to Kaiba. It was Mokuba and Kaiba answered. Ordinarily, Lara would not allow people to answer her phone but seeing as how it was his brother, she did not see the harm.

“Mokuba.” Kaiba answered.

“ _You're with Lara.” Mokuba said surprised._

“I am.” He responded.

“ _How is she?”_

“She seems fine.” He said looking at Lara. She could hear the mumble of Mokuba’s voice but could not tell what he was saying.

“ _Meeting the guys didn't go so well. Mai was extremely rude. They didn't trust her because of her name and Mai took it a bit too far and set Lara off. She was pretty pissed when she stormed off. I've handled it but I was worried about her.” Mokuba informed his brother._

“I see.” Kaiba said. “I told you it was a bad idea.”

“ _You did but I honestly think it would have been fine if Mai wasn't there. Just let me deal with the situation bro.”_

“Fine. See you later.” Kaiba hung up and passed the phone back to Lara who had moved to stand at the window. She slipped it into her back pocket.

“Thanks.” She said.

“I believe you had a run in with Mokuba's friends.” Kaiba said.

“Yeah. They're a nice bunch. I just can't handle Mai.” Lara replied.

“So I've heard.” Kaiba drawled in his typical way. “I take it that's when I called you.”

“Yup. Sorry about being short. I really should have looked to see who was calling. That was careless.”

“I know what that group can be like. Are you okay?” Kaiba asked.

“Yeah I'm fine. I just lost my temper.” Lara laughed. “You're sweet for asking.” She smiled and gave Kaiba a kiss on the cheek but as she tried to pull away Kaiba pulled her back toward him. He seized her lips in a fiery and hungry kiss. Lara had only a fleeting moment of hesitation before she kissed him back, matching his intensity. Kaiba pushed her back, pinning her against the wall with his body, his hands cradling her head as he kissed her. Kaiba’s hands travelled down her body to her hips which he grabbed, hoisting her up as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Lara trailed kisses down his neck, sucking down on his collar bone but he pushed her back against the wall claiming her lips once more. He sucked on her bottom lip sweeping his tongue over. He somehow managed to keep the intensity building. He was forceful but gentle. Lara had never in her life been kissed like this. She could not remember where she was or the day of the week or her name for that matter! She grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling it in opposite directions, sending buttons popping everywhere. Kaiba broke the kiss for a moment. His eyes were dark sapphires filled with lust.

“Door.” Was all she managed in a breathless whisper. Kaiba looked at the open door. He set Lara on her feet and shut the door, locking it so no one would interrupt them. His movements were predatory. He walked back to her like a hunter stalking its prey. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to his body. She could feel the bulge building in his jeans. She pushed his shirt off his broad shoulders and it fell to the floor in a pool of white. Lara ran her hands down Kaiba's chest, over the hard, smooth muscle of his abs, down to the waistband of his jeans. It was exhilarating getting to touch him this freely, especially after all the weeks of electricity between them. He tugged her tank top over her head and tossed it to the floor. He picked her up and sat her down on the edge of his expansive table. He pushed her back down against the cold, polished wood and pulled off her blue jeans. The smirk on his face told Lara that he liked what he saw. Lara made Kaiba feel things he had long since forgotten. Seeing Lara lie on his table in nothing but her white lace lingerie, her green eyes half lidded in ecstasy, made him want her more. He popped the button on his jeans and pulled down the zip before he climbed over her, trailing kisses from the band on her panties up to her neck. He was toying with her and she knew it. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself up. She made to undo her pony tail but he would not let her.

“Leave it.” He said gruffly as he wrapped her hair around his fist and pulled her head back exposing her neck. “I like it.” He smiled against her skin. She felt him suck down and knew there would be a mark there afterwards but she did not care. Kaiba wrapped his arm around her, undoing the clasp of her bra. Her breasts sprang free, begging for his attention his lips closed around her left nipple while his hands played with her right one. The feeling from his expert ministrations was exquisite. He swapped over eliciting a moan from her that made the hairs on his neck stand on end. Oh he was so very good at this. He pulled away from her completely, leaving her feeling bereft.

“Kaiba.” She moaned. He liked the way that sounded. He hooked his fingers into the sides of her panties and pulled them off in one swift motion. Lara noticed that she was completely naked while Kaiba was still wearing his jeans. This would not do. This would not do at all. She sat bolt upright and pulled him between her legs. She stuck her hand between his skin and the layers of clothes and pushed it down as far as she could reach. He stepped out of pants and kicked them aside. She reached up and pulled his face to hers kissing him deeply. Kaiba ran his fingers down her arms to her sides and down to her legs, raising goose bumps as he did. He reached between her legs sliding a finger in her. She arched her back in pure pleasure. He slid another finger in moving them in come hither motions. Lara was beyond all sensation. She moaned incoherently, trying to absorb all the pleasure he offered her. He suddenly and without warning pulled his hand away. She mewled and he chuckled in response.

She was soon rewarded as he sheathed himself in her with one fluid motion.

“Oh fuck!” She cried out. The fullness she felt within her was wonderful. He groaned, low and throaty, it made her stomach somersault.

He placed her legs on his shoulders allowing him to thrust deeply. With every movement Lara could feel herself climbing. The feeling of his skin on hers was heavenly. She raked her nails down his arms and arched her back. His thrusts grew faster and more vigorous.

“Kaiba...” She moaned. He could tell she was close to her release. He could feel his own building.

“Look at me.” He demanded. The rapturous pleasure, the lust in his eyes, the feeling of his hands on her body were too much. “Oh Kaiba!” She called as she reached her climax. She felt his thrusts become erratic as he found his own release with a gruff, whispered, “Fuck.”

She pushed herself up on her elbows and he laid his sweaty forehead against hers. Hearts hammering in their chests, they both needed a moment to catch their breath and come down from their high.

“I think we need a shower.” Kaiba said and pulled away from her.

They entered his cavernous bathroom, showered quickly and dried off. Under the jets of water, she noticed a faint light scar that wrapped around the base of his neck. She was curious to know what it was from but she thought now was not the time to ask.

Lara wished she had some clean clothes to change into but at least she got to freshen up. She never intended for this to happen but she could not say that was she unhappy it did. And it never felt this good before.

Lara and Kaiba were back at the grindstone when Mokuba got home. He walked into the study to find them in deep discussion about Schroeder Corp.

“Hey guys.” He greeted. Mokuba noticed that Kaiba was dressed in different clothes than he was earlier. Lara's hair was nowhere as neat and she had a light red bruise on her neck. As he walked further into the study he saw a white button on the floor. He smirked at the two of them.

“Mokuba, I'm glad you're back. We've got work to do.” Kaiba said.


	15. Confabulations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey everyone, so this chapter is a little different. It still pushes the plot forward but it's mostly a series of conversations, hence the name of the chapter. I hope you guys enjoy

Kaiba, Mokuba and Lara continued working late into the night. Lara was quite impressed by Mokuba. He did not complain once about losing out on a Saturday night. He had great insights that Kaiba agreed with. It was after eleven pm when they decided to call it a night. Mokuba was not entirely comfortable with Lara travelling home alone at the late hour and the brothers insisted she stay the night. Well, Mokuba insisted, Kaiba agreed.

Mokuba decided to take a shower leaving Lara and Kaiba alone in the study. They knew they had to address the elephant in the room. Lara was not sure how to broach the subject. Thankfully, Kaiba beat her to it.

"Lara, we need to talk about today." Kaiba growled.

"Yeah we do."

"What do you want to do?" He asked.

"I don't know." She replied.

"Do you regret it?"

"Not even a little bit." She smirked. "You?"

"No."

"Then where do we go from here?" She asked.

"I'm happy to keep things as they are." Kaiba replied.

"Okay. I can deal with that. My worry is complicating a good working relationship."

"Why would it be complicated?" Kaiba asked. "We're both adults. We can do as we please."

"Okay. You're on." She smiled.

"And you are fine with this?" Kaiba questioned her. His tone was rather disbelieving.

"Yes. I don't need to cuddle afterwards." She laughed.

"Good." He smirked.

Kaiba left the study for a moment while Lara continued keeping her things away. She had just stowed her charger into her bag and was zipping it up when he walked back in holding a white t-shirt.

"Here." He said, handing the shirt to her. "You'll need something to sleep in."

"Thank you." She smiled as she took it from him. Her curiosity from earlier was getting the better of her and she thought now was as good a time as any to ask.

"Kaiba, I have a question."

"What is it?"

"It's just when we were showering, I saw that you had a scar on your neck. It's a bit of a curious shape. I was wondering how you got it." She immediately regretted asking. He turned glacial in an instant.

"What's it to you? I don't need your pity." He spat.

"I wouldn't pity you but you don't have to answer me. You can just say it's none of my business."

"Well then, it's none of your business." He said rudely. She raised her hands in mock surrender and went back to the couch to pick her laptop bag up. She deposited the file she was working with on Kaiba's desk and was about to walk out when she heard him sigh.

"It's not what you're thinking." He said forcefully. "It's not self-inflicted."

"I wasn't thinking that." Lara defended. In an instant, the pieces fit together. Mokuba's reluctance to talk about Kaiba's experience with Gozaburo, his cryptic hints about their step father being a monster and it was Kaiba's story to tell. She felt the bile rise in her throat.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked." She apologized. "I'll see you in the morning."

The scar she saw looked old. By her own observation it was very faint which indicated it had been inflicted a long time ago, but considering how young Kaiba was, she thought he must have been a child when he got it.

Lara went to the guest room she was shown earlier. This little snippet of information made things clear for her. It was a piece of Kaiba's personality that now made sense. She felt awful for prying.

She closed the door to her room, stripped off all her clothes and slipped on Kaiba's shirt, which fit her like a very short dress. It was soft and smelled heavenly. She slid under the covers and tried to get some sleep.

 

Mokuba was done showering and changed into a grey t-shirt and black check pyjama bottoms. He padded over to Kaiba's room and let himself in. A shirtless Kaiba had just stepped out of his bathroom and was drying his face on a soft white towel.

"So." Mokuba grinned as he sat cross legged on Kaiba's bed.

"What do you want Mokuba?" Kaiba sighed.

"You and Lara?" Mokuba wiggled his eyebrows.

"Please don't tell me this is why you're interrupting my sleep." Kaiba groaned.

"Firstly, you are not asleep. Secondly, I'm not blind."

"Shockingly, I'm aware of both." Kaiba retorted. He folded his leg under as he sat at the edge of the bed facing Mokuba.

"So are you two an item now?" Mokuba asked ignoring his brother's tone.

"No." Kaiba replied.

"Why?" Mokuba whined.

"Do we need to be?"

"No, but you two should be."

"Why?"

"Because you would actually be good together bro. Also, you both need some healthy relationships in your lives."

"Mokuba don't make this bigger than it is. Besides, Lara is not interested in a romantic relationship and neither am I. I have no time for that nonsense."

"Oh my god bro! Could you both be any further in denial?!" Mokuba said exasperatedly.

"Mokuba." Kaiba growled.

"Don't use that tone on me. You both like each other. It's as clear as the nose on your face. Take a chance bro. You already know you can trust her."

"Mokuba it's a bit late for this discussion."

"Is it late because of the hour or because you said something stupid?" Mokuba rolled his eyes at his brother. "Seto, what did you do?"

"I may have snapped at her for something that wasn't her fault."

"What was her crime?" Mokuba asked. Kaiba looked down at his hand and then at his brother and Mokuba knew it was not good. "Oh."

"She saw the scar earlier and wanted to know about it."

"I get that that is a taboo subject, but it is a normal reaction for a person to be curious."

"I know that." Kaiba glared at Mokuba.

"Well, she isn't going anywhere so maybe one day you can explain it to her but for now, maybe you should apologize." Mokuba said gently. "Let me ask you something. Do you like her?"

Kaiba did not respond to Mokuba.

"I will take that as a yes. Sure you haven't known her long, but in the time you have known her, you have found out more about her than most people ever will. Additionally, you weren't there today when she jumped to your defence. I know she really likes you too."

"So what do you want me to do?"

"How about, be patient and less grouchy? You know she really liked playing chess with us on the plane. She likes being in your company. She's also pretty hot for you but like you, she isn't openly going to admit it."

"I'll think about it." Kaiba said noncommittally.

"I'll take that for now." Mokuba smiled. He stretched back against Kaiba's pillows. "It's amazing how much smaller your bed seems compared to mine."

"That's because you didn't know when to stop growing. I still don't know how you conned me to get you a custom bed." Kaiba shook his head.

"It's because you love me." Mokuba laughed.

"Hmm. Get out." Kaiba smiled.

"Night bro." Mokuba called as he left for his own room.

 

Lara looked at her cell phone in the darkness, it was almost one a.m. She had lay under the covers, hoping for sleep for over an hour. She switched on the lamp next to the bed and decided to get a glass of water. She thought it was safe enough to move around the house despite only wearing Kaiba's shirt. Everyone would be asleep by now. She walked barefoot to the kitchen only to find the light above the counter on and Kaiba sitting beneath it, drinking a cup of coffee.

"Kaiba." She said, surprised. "Couldn't sleep either, huh?"

"Hmm." He responded.

Lara got a glass and filled it with cold water. She sat on the stool opposite him, taking a long grateful sip. She did not realize how parched she was.

"There should be something stronger in the cupboard." Kaiba offered.

"No thanks. I don't like having alcohol when I can't sleep. Daddy issues." She said when Kaiba looked at her curiously.

"So why can't you sleep?" He asked.

"I always struggle after moving through time zones. It's usually fine within a week." She replied.

"Lara." Kaiba said as he placed his mug on the marble counter. "About earlier."

"Forget it. I shouldn't have asked. It really isn't my business."

"Thank you. We all have our ghosts." He said softly and Lara thought it was more to himself than her.

"That we do." She said equally softly.

"You know you are going to have to do something about Leon."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"You keep saying he has no power over you. I know that isn't true and until you admit it to yourself, you will be stuck in the position you are."

Lara said nothing. She looked down, running her finger over the brim of her glass.

"How many times have you read that email?" Kaiba asked.

"I… quite a few." She replied honestly.

"And you still maintain he has no hold on you." He rumbled.

"I don't know Kaiba. I can think rationally about what we need to do."

"But?"

"But I loved him more than anyone in this world. I still want the best for him. Does that make me an idiot?"

"No, it doesn't. You love him."

"Unfortunately. Love just makes a person weaker. You care too much." She whispered.

"Sometimes it makes you stronger."

"I haven't ever experienced that. My father loved my mother, when she died, it changed him. Leon loved his family, they didn't reciprocate and look at how damaged he is. I loved Leon and what do I have to show for it? I loved my father who was a great man but not a good man. That made me vengeful."

"Yes, but I love Mokuba and I would not have any of this if it wasn't for him." In the dimly lit kitchen, it was far too easy to talk to Lara. They were just two people with far too much to deal with. Speaking to each other was like finally finding someone that truly understood.

"At least your motivation was always healthy." She commented and Kaiba snorted.

"Really, that's what you think?"

"Well Mokuba is such a positive force." She said.

"Yes, he is but I was angry for a long time."

"Gozaburo." Lara said as a reason.

"Yes, but not just that. I'm sure you know the back story."

"Actually, I don't. My father knew but he wouldn't tell us. He said it wasn't important. Gozaburo had an heir that he brought to events and my father took Zigfried."

"Then your father was at least better than my stepfather. Not that that was particularly difficult."

Lara shrugged in response.

"I got Gozaburo to adopt Mokuba and I when he visited the orphanage we lived in. I challenged him to a chess match and the deal was if he lost he would adopt us and if he didn't accept, I would tell the media." Kaiba smirked.

"Quite an enterprising kid, weren't you?" Lara smiled.

"Did you expect different?"

"No." Lara laughed.

"I won and we went to live with him. Gozaburo was relentless. I spent most of everyday studying. I barely slept. Gozaburo expected excellence in everything, I was not allowed to fail." Kaiba absently rubbed his neck as he exorcised his demons. "Mokuba helped me get through that. I wanted to give up but my little brother never did." Lara could hear the reverence in Kaiba's voice.

"But even so, the anger grew." She stated.

"Yes."

"Zigfried always said you were quiet."

"I preferred to watch. Also, I had to be careful. I could deal with Gozaburo focussing on me, I didn't want to give him a reason to turn to Mokuba."

"Then you ousted him."

"After a fashion, yes."

"Well, what you've built is nothing short of amazing. I'm sorry you had such a rotten time. I hear what you're saying though. Maybe half the problem is having a family that doesn't understand love. Well, not like you and Mokuba do."

"You do." Kaiba offered.

"I did…maybe. I've only ever told two people in my life that I loved them. One betrayed me and the other is dead. You know when I heard my father was sick, I boarded the first flight I could get back to Germany and found him alone in his hospital room. Annette already had him committed by that point. It was a mess."

"How did you find out. I'm sure your family didn't tell you your father was dying."

"They didn't. Mr Dreyer did." Being in this confessional with Kaiba felt good for some reason. Saying everything out loud felt like a purge.

"That explains our interaction at the meeting." Kaiba mused.

"Yes. He's always been kind but he's shrewd too." She chuckled. "Anyway, I kept vigil by my father's bedside. Dr Wagner would come in and administer his medication." Lara's grip tightened around her glass. "I didn't know at that point. For three days I stayed there, watching as he lost his battle. No one else came to the hospital. Just me."

"You'll get your vengeance now." Kaiba said.

"That I will." Lara smirked. She raised her glass to Kaiba. "To succeeding in the face of adversity."

Kaiba raised his mug with a smirk on his face.

"You and Mokuba are lucky to have each other. You know what's the greatest thing about him?"

"What?"

"He shows who you really are. It's pretty special." Lara said kindly. Kaiba said nothing in reply, he simply looked away. It was true. Mokuba was raised by Kaiba, everything he knew, the person he was, it was all due to Kaiba. Lara downed the rest of her water. She walked around Kaiba and placed her glass in the sink.

"I think I should try to get some sleep. Good night Kaiba." She squeezed his shoulder as she walked past. He gently grabbed her hand, she turned to face him but stood rooted to the spot. He pulled her towards him. She leaned in and tenderly kissed him on his soft lips, he kissed her back feeling some unnamed emotion. She pulled away, kissed him lightly on his forehead and headed back to bed.

* * *

 

The sun was streaming into the bar, rays filtered through the glass illuminating the dust particles in the air. She was not sure why she allowed Mokuba to talk her into going for a drink, but here they sat, in a booth at Joey's bar once again. She felt surprisingly well rested. After her long chat with Kaiba, Lara slept like the dead. It was a surprising night. She did not expect to pour her heart out like that and she certainly did not expect Kaiba to be so open with her. Perhaps they both needed it.

Lara watched as the beads of condensation dripped down the side of her glass. She took a sip of the cold amber liquid. It may not have been her favourite brand, but the beer was not bad.

"So getting back to my question from earlier..." Mokuba started.

"You're not still on about that, are you?" Lara rolled her eyes.

"Lara, one of you is going to have to take the lead here."

"Mokuba, I'm fine with this. So is your brother. Why are you not okay with it?"

"Because you are both in denial. Why can't you guys admit that you like each other?"

"We are not in denial and I like your brother very much."

"That's not what I mean and you know it. Did Seto at least apologize for snapping at you earlier?"

"Yeah, we had a chat late last night. I told him he didn't have to."

"I'm glad. It's progress." Mokuba smiled. "So what did you chat about?"

"Our ghosts. Your brother is surprisingly easy to talk to." Lara remarked.

"Yeah he is. Truth is, it's only with the people he likes." Mokuba informed.

"I'm flattered. He told me a little about you guys' childhood and your stepfather. Not much."

"Gozaburo took away the smiling, carefree Seto I knew and replaced him with someone colder." Mokuba said matter of factly.

"He told me he was angry for a long time."

"Oh you have no idea. Our step father was a constant shadow. Seto worked to erase him from our lives. The last thing he destroyed was the military base on Kaiba Corp Island. He got a bit better after that. I think he only really calmed down once I turned eighteen." Mokuba smiled sheepishly.

"I'm sorry you guys had to go through all that." Lara said earnestly.

"Me too."

"You said Kaiba Corp Island."

"Yup."

"Where the resort is now?"

"The very same."

"You guys have a way of turning the worst into the best, you know that?!"

"It's what I keep telling Seto even though he won't listen to me when I say it."

"He'll understand one day." Lara said holding Mokuba's hand. He just smiled back at her. "Are you guys ready for the launch next week?" Lara asked Mokuba, it was her tactic to change the subject.

"Definitely. I'm so glad the hotel went up so quickly." Mokuba said. Just then Joey joined them at their booth.

"Talkin' 'bout the new hotel?"

"Yeah." Lara replied.

"The launch is going to be amazing." Mokuba added.

The three of them chatted for a long time. It was nice being able to shoot the breeze like this. Lara was feeling more and more like moving to Domino was a move towards having a real home. Joey was hilarious. She was glad that she was getting to know him away from the group.

Mokuba excused himself from the table to make a call and left Joey and Lara alone.

"Lara, I just want to apologize for yesterday. Mai can be a bit difficult sometimes but I promise ya, she's great once you get to know her."

"I'm sure that's true but I'm also sure that we just are not going to spend the time together to get to know each other."

"I understand but maybe in the future it will be different. I think it's a bit like an alpha thing ya know."

"Maybe."

"You know Mokuba gave us quite the tongue lashing. The kid's got a Kaiba temper. He really stood up for ya." Joey told Lara. She looked at the tall black haired young man on the phone and felt a real connection to him. She would forever be grateful to have met Mokuba. The reason she received help after she was kidnapped was because of him, he was the reason she felt welcome in a strange country, and she was sure he was the reason Kaiba gave her the chance he did. There were very few special people in this world, but Mokuba was definitely one of them.

Lara and Mokuba ended up spending most of the day together. After drinks they went to her apartment where they spent the day watching movies and chatting. It was an interesting weekend for her and the brothers. Wherever her friendship with them took her now would be an adventure she felt entirely ready for. She had a new life, and she was ready to start living it.


	16. The Launch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another week, another chapter. I've actually been fairly busy writing this story and have done up to chapter 31 so I'm pretty close to the end but I will still keep to the weekly update schedule except maybe on the 25th of October... maybe I'll post an extra chapter then :D Anyway, I hope you enjoy ;)

The week passed by in a blur and all too soon they were facing the launch of Kaiba Corp’s new hotel. Everything about the new hotel was better. It was bigger, more high tech and more luxurious than any of the other hotels in the company’s stable. It was for this reason that the launch was going to be a massive event.

The launch was set for Friday but Lara headed to Tokyo early Monday morning to make sure everything went to plan. Mokuba and Kaiba would arrive on Thursday and she wanted everything perfect and in hand before then.

The flight was quiet and uneventful. Once Lara touched down, she was able to disembark quickly, pick up her luggage and head to the car rental to pick up her wheels for the week. She climbed into the white A3 and headed straight to the hotel. All Kaiba Corp employees were staying at the hotel to make sure all services ran smoothly and any hiccups could be caught and sorted out early.

The drive to the hotel was a fairly long one since the hotel was in the high-end part of town and the morning traffic only made her commute that much longer. As Lara drew closer, she could see what a behemoth the hotel was. It was an enormously tall, circular, steel and glass giant with three tiers that tapered to a point. She pulled into the wide portico, stopping at the stairs leading into the foyer. Three well-dressed men in black suites approached the car and stood in a line. The door man immediately opened her door with a bow. She handed her keys to the valet who stood beside him and the third gentleman helped her with her luggage. She entered the building through the glass doors which automatically slid apart smoothly.

The reception area left no doubt in her mind of the splendour she was in. The light was warm as it reflected off the numerous marble surfaces. The area screamed modern but not at the loss of warmth and hospitality. She went up to the reception desk which was situated between two marble pillars. A light feature hung above, casting soft rays of light over her and the receptionist. Behind her, there were several plush chairs for guests to relax in.

The receptionist explained that the key-card controlled all movements. It would be the card she would swipe in the elevator to get to her floor, to unlock her room, to get to any of the restaurants, the pool deck and the parking. She went up to her suite which was on the second last floor, freshened up and got to work.

There was a lot that needed doing over the days before Kaiba arrived. The hotel boasted two presidential suites on the top floor which is where Mokuba and Kaiba would be staying.

Lara met with the brothers in the suite where Kaiba was staying. He seemed happy with all that had been done. She reported the few issues they had had to him which he was predictably unhappy about but seemed satisfied with the measures they took to fix them. All that was left was for Friday to roll by.

* * *

Lara inspected at her reflection in the mirror, her hair and makeup were perfectly done. Her ebony hair was pulled up into a French twist which was secured with a beautiful black and silver hair comb. Her eyelids were brushed with a light brown-pink eyeshadow and her eyes heavily lined in black creating a stunning cat eye. It made her green eyes the most prominent feature on her face. Her softly done cheeks and nude lips completed the look. She was rather impressed by the work done.

Lara put on her simple silver and black earrings that stopped midway down the length of her neck, stepped into her black one-shouldered dress and pulled up the zip on the side. She put on her stiletto sandals and stood before the mirror. The dress was dazzling on her light skin. It was heavily beaded and fell in flowing layers of black organza. She was pleased with the look.

Lara grabbed her little purse as she headed out the door, taking the elevator up a floor to the presidential suites. The doors slid open and she stepped to Kaiba’s door giving it a quick rap. Mokuba opened the door in his black tuxedo and bow tie.  
“Wow Lara!” He exclaimed.  
“Thanks. You look pretty wow yourself.” She smiled. “You guys ready?”  
“Yes.” Came Kaiba’s growl.  
“Great. Lift’s here.” She replied. Kaiba and Mokuba exited the room closing the door with a soft click. Kaiba’s breath hitched when he saw Lara. She turned around and bathed him in a glorious smile.  
“Wow!” She whispered to herself. The Kaiba boys definitely had great genes. He was a vision in a black tuxedo with a black tie. Unlike Mokuba, he had opted to go without a bowtie. The three of them entered the lift, the doors slid closed and descended in silence. She secretly wished Mokuba was not in the lift with them. She caught Kaiba’s eye and realized he had a similar thought. The lift smoothly came to a halt and the doors slid open. Mokuba stepped out first. Kaiba bent down and whispered in her ear.  
“Ravishing.” His breath caressed the skin of her neck sending shivers down her spine. He smirked and walked out. Lara was sure she was about to expire. Well, two could play at that game. She collected her scattered thoughts and went to check on everything before the guests arrived.

Lara went to chat to the event planner. So far there were no emergencies to report, all was going well. She watched from the door, making sure that the entrance the guests made flowed well. They would enter through the glass doors then have their picture taken against the erected background then would be offered a refreshment and shown to an area where they could mingle until everyone had to take their seats in their main events room.

She noticed Kaiba watching her out the corner of her eye so she crossed her arms and lightly traced the length of her neck as if she was deep in thought. She then turned and smiled as if she had only just noticed him. He narrowed his eyes at her and she walked away with a smirk plastered on her face. This continued for much of the night. She would wink at him as she wrapped her lips around a hummus dipped crudité and whenever business connections were made, Kaiba would deliberately avoid touching her but he was so close that she could feel the heat from his hand against her bare skin.

The guests had arrived, all was going well. It really was a glittering event. The photographer wanted several pictures of the Kaiba Corp team. There was a picture of Mokuba, Kaiba and Lara, the brothers, Lara and Kaiba, and Lara and Mokuba.

It was soon time for everyone to take their seats at their tables. Lara took to the stage first.  
“Good evening everyone.” She greeted. “It is a privilege to have you all here with us to celebrate the launch of our flagship hotel. We should have a wonderful evening together with a sumptuous dinner as well as an electrifying party afterwards, and at the end of the night there will be a great hamper for everyone to take home. But before we can enjoy the rich entertainment planned for tonight, I would like to invite the genius behind Kaiba Corp to come up and say a few words. Please warmly welcome Mr Seto Kaiba.” Lara politely clapped with the rest of the room. Kaiba walked up to the microphone and placed his hand on the bare skin of her back and thanked her. After the night of their games, the touch was far too heated. She maintained her composure, knowing the eyes of the world were on them and joined the main table.

Kaiba addressed the audience, his speech was short, warm and he was charming. Lara was quite impressed that Kaiba could work an audience so well. The night was going better than expected. Dinner was served and soon everyone was mingling. Lara then saw a familiar blonde in the crowd.  
“Hello Mai.” She greeted politely albeit a bit stiffly.  
“Lara.” Mai replied.  
“It’s good to see you here.” Lara said amiably.  
“Is it now?” Mai raised her eyebrow.  
“Of course. You were an important part of Kaiba Corp’s history. Is Joey here?”  
“No. Did you want to see him?” Mai said with an edge to her voice.  
“It was a safe assumption that you would bring him as your plus one. Anyway, enjoy the evening. Send Joey my best.” Lara said as she walked away. She spotted Mokuba’s tall figure chatting to a familiar lady.  
“Lara.” Mokuba smiled as she drew close. “This is Vivian Wong. Vivian, meet Lara von Schroeder.” Mokuba introduced.  
“Nice to meet you Vivian.” Lara said as she shook her hand.  
“You too. I once met your brother. How is he?” Vivian asked.  
“Leon is well thanks. Have you been enjoying the night so far?” Lara tried to steer the conversation away from herself.  
“It's been great.” She smiled.  
“I'm going to leave you lovely ladies to it.” Mokuba said.  
“Yeah sure.” Lara replied.  
“So how long have you and Kaiba been a couple?” Vivian asked inquisitively.  
“We're not.” Lara laughed.  
“Really?! I honestly thought you were.”  
“No, no. Just good friends.” She smiled. Lara decided she would introduce Vivian to a few other people, mostly because Vivian came across as a bit too nosey.

The night passed rapidly and all too quickly everyone had moved on to the after party. Kaiba and Lara made appearances but did not want to be there for longer than they had to. Mokuba would represent them until everyone had left. He bid Lara and Kaiba goodnight and told them that he would see them in the morning.

They shared the elevator back to their suites. Kaiba swiped his key-card and the door slid shut. Lara was about to swipe hers but Kaiba wrenched her back and pushed her against the wall. He claimed her lips in a sudden and ferociously hungry kiss.  
“I know the game you were playing all night.” He said with a growl as their lips broke apart.  
“You seemed to play well yourself.” Lara retorted. She could see the lust burning in his eyes, it just reflected what she felt in every fibre of her being. She pulled his face to hers locking lips once more. They vaguely heard the ping of the lift coming to a halt. Kaiba broke away from her, grabbed her hand and determinedly walked to his door. In a flash, the door was open and Lara was tugged into his embrace. Kaiba locked his room door, not wanting any interruptions. He picked Lara up bridal style and took her to the bedroom where he gently set her back on her feet. Kaiba held her face, drawing her closer with his fingers in her hair. He met her parted lips with his own, delicately kissing her sweet lips. He gently bit on her lower lip and she smiled, allowing his tongue entry. Their kiss was sweet but the electricity built between them. They broke apart and he rubbed his nose against hers. They were locked in each other's gaze, sapphires to emeralds, there was more than lust between them and they felt it but would not allow themselves to know it.  
Lara slid his coat off his broad shoulders and tossed it onto the plush armchair. He watched her as she removed his tie and undid the buttons on his shirt. Both joined the tossed coat. Lara ran her fingers along his strong shoulders, over his chest, down his abdomen; she relished the feeling of his skin. She undid the hook on his pants and he kicked his shoes off. It was his turn now. He pulled down the zipper on the side of her dress, careful not to touch her skin. It slid off and pooled at her feet. She stepped out of it revealing her perfect body in a black strapless bra and tiny black panties. She pulled the comb out of her hair sending her locks tumbling down her shoulders. Kaiba held her clothed hips and pulled her close but never allowing her skin contact with his. It was driving her crazy. She undid his zipper allowing his trousers to fall, he kicked them aside and with a low growl told Lara to remove her bra and panties. She did as she was told, standing before him glorious in her nudity, feeling wanton.  
“Get on the bed.” He instructed. She lay on the soft comforter, resting her head on the fluffy pillows. Kaiba rested on his knees astride her. She reached out to touch him but he caught her wrists and held them against the headboard above her head. He kissed her hard and quick. She looked at him confused and he bathed her in a smile. It was the purest smile she had ever seen him wear. Kaiba got off her, Lara’s gaze following him as he removed his boxers and approached the bottom of the bed.  
“Close your eyes.” He said and she obeyed. She felt his weight on the bed and suddenly his lips were on her shaven mound. She let out a squeal of surprise but kept her eyes closed. Kaiba held her hips in place while he teased her with his expert tongue. After not having him touch her to now have his hands, his tongue, his heat; it was a sensory overload. She was reaching her crescendo. Lara ran her fingers through his soft chestnut hair. Her moans were becoming louder. Kaiba knew she was coming undone and moved away from her. She heard him chuckle at her protests. He lay on the bed next to her pulling her to him. He brushed her hair away from her face as they lay facing each other. Lara closed the gap, kissing him deeply. She could taste herself on him but did not care. He ran his warm hand along her body, over her breast, down further over her hip and along her thigh. He squeezed her butt and pulled her leg over his hip. He heard her breath catch as she felt him, hot and hard. Lara rolled him onto his back, straddling him. She lowered herself slowly onto his throbbing member, relishing the feeling. She heard his breath hiss through his teeth.  
“God Lara.” He said in a strangled groan. It was the single sexiest sound she had ever heard. She was taking charge now. She rode him hard. Kaiba watched her in wonder. She felt exquisite. He held her hips as she moved forward and backward and up and down. His breathing was becoming erratic. Seeing Kaiba coming undone below her was a heady feeling.  
“You feel so fucking good.” She said in a raw whisper. Kaiba's fingertips sank into her hips and he met her thrust for thrust. His low guttural moans just pushed her further and further towards the pinnacle of pleasure.  
“Oh Kaiba!” She called as she exploded around him, sending him over the edge, reaching his release. He pulled her down onto his chest and wrapped his arms around her. He could feel her racing heart against his chest while she listened to the frantic tattoo of his heartbeat. He could still feel her pulsing around him.

He shifted so she was lying next to him with her head on his chest. He still had his arm around her, lightly tracing lines along her spine. He kissed the top of her head, they were both quiet for ages. It felt good to be in his arms. They were not sure how long they lay like that but it was bliss. After what felt like centuries, Lara broke the silence.  
“I should probably get back to my room.” She said.  
“Probably.” Kaiba replied making no move to get up. Lara smiled against his chest and he sighed. “You did well tonight.” He said.  
“Thank you. A lot of the work was done before you hired me. I just made adjustments where I could.” She replied. “This place is beautiful.” She added softly.  
“Hmm.” Was all the response he gave her.

Lara got off the bed, dressing quickly to head down to her suite. Kaiba followed her to the door. He kissed her forehead and she stepped out.  
“See you tomorrow.” She said closing the door behind her. Lara rested her head against the locked door, both of them whispering to themselves “What are you doing to me?”

* * *

The next afternoon Kaiba, Mokuba and Lara were flying back to Domino. Neither Kaiba nor Lara had seen Mokuba until the afternoon. The party was very successful and ended very late, or rather very early.

Lara showed the brothers the various articles covering the launch. Not a single story was negative. The publicity was great from having all the celebrities attend and now everyone knew that there was a new hotel to best the best.

Mokuba chatted to Lara for most of the flight back.  
“What did you get up to after you left?” He asked.  
“Kaiba and I chatted for a bit then I went to bed.” She replied with a straight face. Mokuba rolled his eyes at her.  
“And you're both still just friends?”  
“Yes.” She said in an exasperated tone.  
“Okay.”  
“What do you mean 'okay'?” She asked.  
“I mean okay.” Mokuba said. “You guys will figure it out one day. Maybe it will be tomorrow, maybe it will be when I'm old and grey, but one day.” He teased.  
Lara laughed at Mokuba, they did not realize Kaiba was eavesdropping on the entire conversation.

* * *

Meanwhile in Germany, Zigfried was under house arrest. He was granted bail but the ankle monitor was a condition. Mother and son sat in the lounge watching a story on the launch of the new Kaiba Hotel in Tokyo.  
“Can you believe this?!” An outraged Annette seethed.  
“Don't worry mozer, Herr Kaiba and Lara's time is running out.” He chuckled sinisterly.


	17. Peril

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, so we're now into the second half of the story and things start getting interesting. I hope you all enjoy :)

Sunday started off a little later than usual for Lara. She caught up on some much-needed rest and was ready to attack all the work she had to catch up on. She did not really mind since she could work from home and it was a nice, quiet spot without any interruptions.

Mokuba and her had plans to get coffee later. She wanted to finish as much as possible before that. Lara put on a pot of coffee, got out her laptop and began her day. There was much to be done and not just for Kaiba Corp. She had received all the reports she had asked for from her other companies in Germany, which sat bound and stacked as the next item on her to do list.

It was a glorious day in Domino. The sun shone brightly ensuring that the park was full of people. Every so often, Lara would turn her attention away from what she was doing and watch the families enjoy the sunshine.

Lara turned her attention back to her work. She had a rather productive morning and she was sure she had the constant supply of caffeine to thank for that. She watched the clock, making sure she was not late to fetch Mokuba from the mansion. He promised her that it would just be the two of them. She really was not in the mood to deal with his friends right now. It was surprising, she saw Mokuba and Kaiba every day at work but she never tired of their company, even though she spent so much time outside work with them. They were starting to feel a bit more like family to her. Maybe even more than family, if there was such a thing.

At one o' clock she was pulling into the driveway at the Kaiba mansion. Mokuba was ready and met her at the door. Lara decided to wear a pair of simple black jeans, a grey t-shirt and black wedges. Lara was by no means short but she definitely needed the extra height around Mokuba.

“Hey Mokes.” She greeted him with a hug.

“How're you doing?” He asked.

“Pretty good. You?”

“Tired. Did you get everything done?” He asked.

“Nope. I don't have stacks left to do though. Shall we go?”

“Yeah.”

They climbed into her car which she started with throaty grunt and set off for a relaxing afternoon. They headed to a new cafe that Tea had told them about, Mokuba being one to always try something new, was keen to see the place for himself.

Lara parked her sleek black car right outside the entrance and the two of them went in. It was a lovely little cafe. They had combined rustic elements with a modern design for something quite unique and warm.

“Hello. Table for two?” The hostess said. Her gaze lingered a little too long on Mokuba who missed very little.

“Yes please.” He said smoothly making Lara roll her eyes. The hostess seated them at a booth which seemed like the best seat in the place. Lara had to hand it to Mokuba, he certainly knew how to charm people.

“A waiter will be along to take your order.” The hostess said more to Mokuba than Lara. She handed them their menus, bowed and left.

“You know you shouldn't do that to girls.” Lara said.

“Do what?” Mokuba asked innocently.

“You know what. You're very charming and very good looking and that poor girl is going to expire.” Lara teased.

“You think I'm good looking?” Mokuba smirked.

“Oh you are an idiot.” Lara laughed. “Yes. You are good looking. Seems like a family trait.”

“Eh. What can I say? We Kaibas are blessed.”

“And humble.” Lara snickered. “You’re just a shameless flirt.” She teased and Mokuba shrugged unapologetically in response.

“So, I hear you chatted to Mai on Friday.” Mokuba said.

“Yeah I did. Before you say anything, I was perfectly civil.” Lara said defensively.

“I heard that you made some snide comment about Mai not working for Kaiba Corp.”

“I told her it was good seeing her and she was disbelieving so, I said that she was an important part of Kaiba Corp's history.” Lara informed Mokuba who laughed.

“You can see why she thinks that it was a dig.”

“I can and I don't care. I was perfectly amiable.”

“Uh-huh.” Mokuba smirked.

Just then the waiter arrived taking their orders. They did not have to wait long before he came back to the table with a tray balanced on his open hand. He placed a cappuccino each in front of Mokuba and Lara.

“Blueberry pie?” The waiter asked.

“That's mine.” Lara said. He placed it before her and then sat the chocolate cake in front of Mokuba.

“Anything else?” He asked.

“No thanks. We're okay for now.” Lara smiled.

“Very well.” The waiter turned around and left Lara and Mokuba to themselves.

They chatted for hours, enjoying their eats and each other's company. Lara told Mokuba about some of the funny incidents that happened over the course of the week leading up to the launch of the hotel. Mokuba filled her in on their plans to have the hotel in the major cities of the world. They were still in discussions for a site in Domino but after that they were looking at New York. She was quite thrilled about these plans. Her mind was already swirling with ideas. Chatting to Mokuba had become so easy. She felt like she could be entirely candid with him and he would not judge her for it.

After a while, Mokuba excused himself to use the bathroom. Lara sat at the table watching his figure disappear behind a door with an abstract man painted on it. There were two other men who went in afterwards. She did not know why, but the men gave her a bad feeling. It nagged at her. It was almost as if she knew them. How could she though? They were at a place they did not usually visit and then it struck like a bolt of lightning. She knew where she had seen them before. Lara dropped a few notes on the table and yanked her bag off her chair. She rushed to the men's bathroom only half listening to the waitress who said, _“ma'am you can't go in there.”_ She pushed the door open to find a startled Mokuba who was drying his hands on a paper towel.

“Lara! What the hell-”

“No time. We're leaving now!” She said urgently.

“What's wrong?”

“I'll explain in the car.” She replied as one of the men sneered at her. “Now Mokuba!” She grabbed his hand and half ran out the cafe. They got into her car and reversed quickly, tyres squealing as she spun the car around then sped off. She tore through the streets of Domino, the V8 growling as she floored it.

“Lara what's going on?” Mokuba demanded.

“We were in danger there. I know those men. They work for Zigfried.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. We just need to get back to the mansion.” She said calmly but authoritatively. They arrived back in less than half the time it took them to go to the cafe in the first place. Lara bolted into the house and ran up the stairs two at a time. She stopped at the study where Kaiba was predictably working.

“We have a problem.” She said to him without greeting. He turned around and saw the look on her face. He knew it was serious.

“What's happened?” He growled menacingly.

“Zigfried's guys are in town. They followed Mokuba-”

“Mokuba! Where... Is he okay?”

“Shut up! Let me finish! Mokuba is here, he's fine. We went to that new cafe Steamy's, Mokuba went to the bathroom and two men followed him in. I felt uneasy and then realized where I had seen them before. It was at the house in Berlin. Zigfried uses them when he needs things done quietly. I barged into the bathroom, saw Mokuba was okay and told him we had to leave. But the look on that first guy's face, that sneer… I drove us straight here.”

“Do you know who they are? Their names?” Kaiba asked.

“I can't remember. We can get the CCTV footage from the cafe. That should help.” Lara suggested.

“Yeah.” Kaiba pulled out his phone and hit the speed dial. “Roland. I want the CCTV footage from Steamy's Cafe from this afternoon.” Kaiba instructed. Lara heard the clear _“Yes sir.”_ in response and Kaiba cut the call.

“We need to be careful now.” Lara advised.

“We always did need to, but since your brother is starting to play his hand, we will have to be on the lookout for anything strange.”

“I agree. Zig is calculating and dangerous.” She warned.

“Yes. Lara, thank you for keeping my brother safe.” Kaiba said softly.

“Of course. I love that kid.” She replied equally softly.

“Are you okay?” He asked.

“Fine.” She smiled. “I'm going to head home.”

“Is that wise?” Kaiba questioned.

“I'm sure it will be fine.” Lara said.

“I agree with Seto.” Mokuba said as he suddenly appeared in the doorway.

“Guys, I really will be fine. It's not a huge apartment and no one can get up without access. Don't worry about me.” She kissed Kaiba on the cheek and hugged Mokuba goodbye. All she wanted was to be home safe, high up in her tower. She looked forward to work the next day. It would be a welcome distraction.

The next morning, Azumi busied herself at Lara’s coffee machine making sure that there was a fresh pot when Lara got in. Their working relationship had started off a bit rocky but it had drastically improved. Azumi found that Lara expected excellence but she was fair and pleasant to deal with on a day to day basis.

Lara took her seat behind her desk and Azumi placed a cup of hot coffee in front of her. They began with their usual routine of Azumi going over Lara’s schedule with her. Mondays were often busy but there was a lot more that needed to be done due to her trip to Tokyo. She finished her coffee as Azumi went back to her desk. Lara started off checking her emails. There were far too many for her liking. She prioritized them, dealing with the most urgent first, the rest could wait. She wished the weekend was longer especially since she felt a bit under the weather. It seemed to come on quite suddenly. She felt terribly weak and her stomach was not happy. Lara switched off her coffee machine, the smell of it was nauseating her. She was about to make a call when she realized that she needed to make a beeline for the bathroom. She only just got to the stall when she had lost her breakfast.

“Just great.” She groaned. She could not afford to be sick. There was too much to do. She freshened up and went back to her desk feeling utterly terrible. Maybe a sick day would not be the worst thing in the world. Her stuffy nose just made her feel even worse. She got herself a bottle of water from the vending machine, drinking just a few sips which she promptly lost.

Her morning was peppered with trips to the bathroom. It was almost three p.m. when she gave up on feeling any better, but not being able to drink anything made her feel even weaker. Mokuba walked into her office just as she was getting her things together.

“Hey Lara. Whoa! You look awful.” Mokuba said shocked.

“Thanks.” She chuckled weakly. “I feel awful.”

“Maybe you should go home.” He said.

“Yeah, I’m going to do that.”

She picked up her handbag and got off her chair. She was immediately dizzy. She only just managed to pick up her waste paper bin when she heaved once more.

“Geez Lara!” Mokuba said concerned. “I’m taking you to a doctor.”

“That’s not necessary. I’ll just go home. Probably just a bug.”

“I’m not risking it.” Mokuba said forcefully. “What have you had today?” He asked.

“Just coffee.” She replied.

She heard Kaiba’s voice and saw him enter her office. Lara walked around her table feeling exceptionally dizzy. Her head swam and the last thing she saw was Kaiba rush over to her before she passed out in his arms.


	18. Wrathful Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter in the lives of Kaiba and Lara... hope you enjoy :)

Kaiba looked over his laptop screen at Lara’s still figure. He was seated in the soft tub chair in the corner of the room. Lara should be awake by now and the fact that she was not, worried him immensely. He was a storm of emotions. Kaiba was so far past anger but he needed to make sure Lara was improving before anything could be done.

He went back to his work, trying to get as much done as possible from the hospital room. A low moan distracted him from the reports he was looking over. Lara was stirring. Her eyelids felt heavy. She tried to open them but they would not obey. Her head felt like it was being split in two and her hand felt uncomfortable.

She forced her eyes open, blinking blearily as the fluorescent lights came into view. They were blinding and caused her head to feel worse. She moved her right hand and it hurt a little when she did so. She saw the needle in the back of her hand hooked up to a drip.

Kaiba had quietly placed his laptop on the table and stood beside her bed. Lara slowly turned to her left and saw Kaiba standing next to her.

“Kaiba.” She said hoarsely. Relief washed through him in a tidal wave. “Where am I?” She whispered.

“The hospital.” He replied. He watched her closely.

“Water, please.” She requested.

Kaiba instantly left the room. He went straight to the nurses’ station and demanded someone come in immediately.

“She’s awake. I want a doctor in there now. She wants water.” He growled. The nurse paged the doctor and followed him quietly into Lara’s room. Lara saw Kaiba walk back in with a nurse. He stood at the foot of the bed with his arms crossed.

“It’s good to see you awake Ms Schroeder. How do you feel?”

“Thirsty.” She whispered.

“I will get you some ice chips and see what’s keeping the doctor.” The nurse said kindly as she left.

 

“How long have I been out?” Lara asked.

“Almost two days. It’s Wednesday.” Kaiba replied.

“What happened?”

“Do you remember anything?” Kaiba asked her in response. Lara tried to think as hard as she could.

“Not much. I was talking to Mokuba.” She said with a faraway look in her eyes. Just then the doctor entered.

“Ms Von Schroeder.” The doctor greeted. “How do you feel?”

“Pretty crappy.” She whispered.

“Well, that’s understandable.” He replied. He began his examination of Lara. “How does your head feel?”

“Like it’s being cleaved in two.”

“Yes, I expected that. Well, your vitals are good. There isn’t any permanent damage. You will have a stuffy nose and nausea for a couple days but it will pass. All in all, you're going to be just fine.” He said while writing on a silver clipboard. “I will have the nurse bring your medication later. For now, you need to hydrate with ice chips. After that you can have some water which you will have to sip, no big gulps; and we can get rid of this.” He said tapping her drip stand. The doctor looked at Kaiba, “Your friend here can fill you in on the events.” He nodded at Kaiba and left. The nurse returned with Lara’s ice chips and carefully removed the drip but it still hurt. She put a tiny cotton ball on the spot that bled and held it in place with a piece of clear medical tape.

“Can I help you with anything else?” The nurse asked.

“I really need the bathroom.” Lara said.

“Dear, you have a catheter.”

“What?! No.”

The nurse sighed. “Mr Kaiba can we have a moment in private?”

Kaiba’s jaw tensed but he did not argue. He left the room and allowed the nurse to do what she needed to. She helped Lara go to the bathroom and freshen up. She had a toiletry kit in the bathroom and silently thanked whomever had thought of it. A voice at the back of her mind told her it was probably Kaiba. The nurse helped her back into bed and pulled the covers over.

“Your boyfriend was very concerned. He didn’t leave at all. Stayed in this room for two days.” The nurse informed.

“Oh, he’s not my boyfriend. We’re just friends.” Lara corrected. She was gobsmacked by this revelation though.

“Dear, no one worries that much and is just a friend.” The nurse smiled. She turned around and left. Kaiba immediately came back in. He sat on the side of her bed, Lara reached out for his hand, it was warm and comforting.

“Please tell me what happened.” She requested.

“You passed out in your office. I brought you here. They weren’t entirely sure what was wrong initially. Eventually they figured out you were poisoned-“

“Poisoned!” Lara exclaimed and immediately regretted it. Her throat burned. Kaiba narrowed his eyes at her.

“Ice chips.” He said. Lara obeyed. The tiny frozen block felt like heaven in her parched mouth. “Yes, you were poisoned. They did what they could after they figured it out, all we could do after that was wait for you to wake up.”

“Who would poison me?”

“Can you think of no one?” It was a rhetorical question.

“But I was at the office.” Lara said.

“Your PA did it. She claims she had no idea.”

“Azumi! I don't understand. What motive would she have?”

“It doesn't matter. Mokuba has fired her.”

“Mokuba?! I can't picture him firing anyone.”

“Well, I was here and he was furious.” Kaiba said with a hint of pride. “There was a type of pesticide in your coffee. Azumi claims she bought it off a man at a new cafe.”

“Steamy's.” Lara said softly.

“Yes.”

“Fuck.” She whispered. “Was it lethal?”

“The doctors don't think so. They have had serious reactions to the pesticide before but it has low toxicity in humans. There was just plenty of it in your bag of coffee.”

“This is hard to digest.” She said. She could see he was struggling to keep his anger in check. She was coming to know him quite well and knew an attack like this on both his brother and friend, would have him on edge. “Kaiba, please don't do anything rash. Mokuba is okay and I'm okay. I'd rather we wait and see what he does next. Please.”

“No.”

“Please. Give me a few days to feel better and then we can think about this together.”

Kaiba stared at her, torn between what he wanted to do and what she wanted him to do.

“Fine. Just a few days.” He acquiesced.

“Promise.” She said firmly.

“Yes.” Kaiba mirrored her tone. They sat in silence for a while. Lara had more ice chips and she looked around at the luxurious room she was in.

“This room is something else.” Lara stated.

“I wasn't going to let them put you elsewhere. I needed the quiet to work.” Kaiba said dismissively.

“Thank you Kaiba.” Lara smiled.

Lara was told that she had to stay overnight, they needed to make sure there would be no further issues. Kaiba insisted on staying with her even though she told him he should go home and at least have a nap and shower. He refused to leave, instead he arranged for her clothes to be brought to the hospital which arrived with Mokuba. He was delighted to see her awake and in good spirits. The hospital staff tried telling the brothers that they should come back at visiting hours and that Lara needed to eat but neither of them would be told what to do. Instead, Mokuba said they would be there to make sure she ate. The staff gave up on that battle and brought in her dinner of chicken soup and a bread roll.

It was quite late when Mokuba left the hospital. He would have stayed longer but Kaiba insisted that Lara get some rest. She tried to convince Kaiba to go with Mokuba but he would not hear of it.

“Then at least lie in bed with me. That chair can’t be comfortable.” She said. He looked at her like he was considering her request. “Oh, come on Kaiba, I think we've done a lot more than just sleep.” She teased. Kaiba rolled his eyes, took off his shoes and climbed into bed with her. He put his arm around her and she cuddled up to his side with her head on his chest.

“I'll feel better once you're at the mansion.” Kaiba said.

“Kaiba, I should go home. I'm fine really.”

“It's not safe.”

“It's as safe as any place. First we have to get my car from the office.”

“It's not at the office. We moved it to the mansion.”

“Oh.” Was all she could think to say. Kaiba was really thoughtful. He did not have to help her as much as he did. She was grateful to have him with her. She quickly fell asleep and Kaiba listened to the comforting sound of her deep breaths. The rhythmic rise and fall of her chest relaxed him after days of being tense. He soon joined her in dreamless sleep.

Morning came by too soon for Lara's liking. She felt immensely better after resting so well. Her breakfast was served and the doctor cleared her to be discharged. He made her promise to take it easy and told her not to return to work until she felt up to it. She promised, fully intending to break it.

Lara was able to brush her teeth and shower by herself, she dressed in the clothes that Mokuba had brought by. She was so thankful that he thought to get her yoga pants and a slouchy t-shirt. She brushed out her hair and put on her ballet pumps. Kaiba agreed to take her back to her place but the condition was that he would stay with her for a few days. She reluctantly agreed. It was not that she did not want Kaiba there, but rather that she did not want to be a nuisance. After all, she felt a lot better.

Roland drove them to her apartment block. Kaiba and Lara sat in the back seat in silence. She felt relaxed and a little sleepy, barely paying attention as Roland navigated his way across town. He drove into the residents' parking, bringing the car to a halt in Lara's bay. Kaiba instructed him to wait in the car while he and Lara went up to the twenty-fifth floor.

The elevator doors slid open in front of Lara's door. She unlocked her large pivot door and walked in to find a sight she wished she had not.

Her apartment looked like it had exploded. Her possessions were everywhere. She could not think of why any person would ransack her home and it could not have been just a burglar, she was too high up for that.

“Wait here.” Kaiba commanded. He went through her various rooms while she looked around her living area and study. They met back at the kitchen counter. Whoever did this was long gone.

“No one's here. What a wonderful week.” She said sarcastically. “I better call in the cleaning service.”

Lara arranged for the cleaners to come in while Kaiba issued sharp orders to Roland. He wanted the security footage and a copy of the sign in book. Lara watched as the cleaning service quickly put her flat back together. It took barely an hour for them to sort the place out and leave. She thanked them and closed the door making sure to lock it. As she walked back in, she noticed an envelope in the kitchen. Kaiba watched as she opened it. Lara pulled out a letter that spilled white rose petals onto the floor. She unfolded the page, recognising the stationary.

 

“ _Lara_

_You see, there's nowhere I can't touch you.”_

 

She showed Kaiba the note. He looked her squarely in the eye.

“I promise nothing.” He said through gritted teeth.

“Kaiba...” She tried to reason.

“And you're coming home with me.” His tone indicated that there was no use arguing with him.

“Fine. Let me pack a bag.”

Kaiba took her belongings down to the car. They climbed in and Roland headed straight for the Kaiba mansion. He drove up to the gates, pressed a little button on a black remote and the large wrought iron gates swung forward. Roland parked the car in the portico and opened the back door for Kaiba who led Lara inside and to the guest room.

“Kaiba, tell me what you're going to do.”

“Get some rest.” He responded.

“Kaiba!” Lara said forcefully.

“Just get some rest. We'll talk later.”

Lara watched as he left her room, emanating rage.


	19. Retribution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone, so this chapter was supposed to be a bit longer but I ended up changing some stuff - Like I do （／_＼）- I hope you guys enjoy :)

Lara woke from her nap and needed a moment to adjust to her surroundings. She then remembered she was at Kaiba's home. She felt awful, the less than restful nap did not help either. She decided to give up on rest and find Kaiba. Once she knew what he was thinking, she would feel a little more at ease.

She figured he would be in his study trying to get some work done. After all, he had spent two days with her at the hospital. Her thoughts were proven to be correct when she knocked quickly on the door and let herself in. He was indeed busy with work but he looked a lot better. He had showered and changed, as evidenced by his still damp hair. He spun around in his chair and crossed his legs, ankle over knee. He was barefoot, wearing blue jeans and a white shirt.  
“How do you feel?” Kaiba asked.  
“Like shit.” Lara responded.  
“Take a seat on the couch. We need to talk.” He growled. Lara did as she was told. She rested on the plush blue couch, facing Kaiba.  
“I'm listening.” She said.  
“I can't let this go Lara. He attacked Mokuba and you. That note is an admission. He'll keep trying.”  
“I agree. I just didn't want you to do anything rash while you were so angry.” She replied.  
“So you have no problem going after Zigfried?”  
“Go ahead. When you told me it was pesticide I suspected Zig. He loves those roses, tends to them with such care. He knows the chemicals he uses really well.”  
“Which means he has constant access to dangerous substances. We are going to have to target a weak spot if we want to neutralize him.”  
“That's true.”  
“What does Zigfried care about the most?” Kaiba asked.  
“Apart from himself? Schroeder Corp and Annette.” Lara stated.  
“Well, we've already taken away Schroeder Corp.”  
“That leaves his mother. He's extremely close to her.”  
“How close?”  
“The only person he would willingly help or rescue. He genuinely loves her. So if we target Annette, we have him.” Lara smirked.  
“Don’t you think that might make him retaliate?”  
“If we go after him lightly, then yes, of course, but if we show that we mean business, show him the danger, he will cave. He will do anything to keep her safe. Why do you think that despite everything the police have, only Zig has been arrested? I knew he would pull what strings he could for his mother.”  
“Okay. We have to plan this carefully.” Kaiba said, running his finger along his lip.  
“They are creatures of habit and with Zig being house bound, it should be easy enough to isolate Annette. We can't draw blood, that would make Zig throw caution to the wind.”  
“Understood.” Kaiba replied.  
“Just one thing though.”  
“What’s that?” Kaiba asked.  
“We can’t let Mokuba get involved in this. If we are going to walk into the shadows, he can’t follow.”  
“Agreed. I won’t risk my brother. I made a promise to keep him safe.” Kaiba said determinedly.  
“Ultimately, keeping him safe is why we are doing this.” Lara replied.  
“And you.” Kaiba said gruffly.  
“I don’t give a shit about me. I can take care of myself. Mokuba is important.” She said looking away and Kaiba smiled.  
“You realize he’s broken through your walls.” Kaiba stated.  
“He seems to have a knack for that.” She smiled fondly.  
“Okay. Time to plan.” Kaiba said.

The two of them exchanged ideas and thoughts, talking for hours. They knew they had to hit Zigfried where it hurt the most otherwise he would just become more dangerous. Lara knew that if anything were to happen to Mokuba it would destroy Kaiba. The brothers had become so precious to her and she would do anything to keep them safe. Kaiba had similar thoughts and even though he was not quite sure what Lara was to him, he knew he would protect her just as he would Mokuba and Kaiba Corp.

Lara and Kaiba were happy with the plan they had come up with. Within a few days, everything would be set up and all that would be left, would be the execution. Kaiba had men that he trusted more than anyone Lara could come up with, she was happy to go with his team.  
“You have a cunning mind Kaiba.” Lara smirked.  
“Likewise.” He raised his coffee mug to her and realized that he had not seen her eat or drink anything the entire time she was with him. “You need to eat something and rest.” He ordered.  
“Honestly, I’m fine. And I can’t stomach anything right now.”  
“Lara.” Kaiba reprimanded.  
“The doctor said it would pass in a couple days. I can eat then.”  
“And what use do I have for an executive who passes out on the job?” Kaiba retorted.  
“Fine. I will get something.”  
“I will call a maid. Get back into bed.”

Lara clambered back under the covers. She got her laptop out in an attempt to get some work done. A maid brought in a plate of crackers, an empty glass and a carafe of water on a tray and placed it beside her bed. She plucked a cracker off the plate and tentatively bit into it expecting the worst. It seemed safe and she ended up eating another three in quick succession. She did not realize she was that ravenous. Mokuba arrived home soon after. She heard him greet Kaiba then walk to the guest room that she was sleeping in. He immediately frowned when he saw her working. He walked up to the bed, took the laptop from her, saved her work and shut it down.  
“Mokuba!” Lara protested.  
“You are supposed to be resting and I know that the doctor told you to return to work after you feel better.”  
“I feel better.” She lied.  
“Nice try.” Mokuba laughed.  
“You know, I have a lot of catching up to do.” Lara sighed.  
“What is it with you workaholics? If you feel better tomorrow, you can work from home.” Mokuba said as a conciliatory offer.  
“I’m going into the office tomorrow.” She said stubbornly.  
“It’s cute that you think so.”  
“I agree with Mokuba.” Came Kaiba’s gruff voice from the doorway. Lara rolled her eyes at Mokuba’s smug grin. Of course he agreed with Mokuba.  
“Fine.” She huffed. 

Mokuba sat cross legged at the foot of her bed and looked between Lara and Kaiba. He knew his brother well enough to know he was planning something and he figured Lara would want in. He also knew that Kaiba would only tell him once it was all over.  
“I figure you two are planning something and I know you won’t tell me now but can you just be careful. Remember the last time bro.”  
“I haven’t forgotten Mokuba.” Kaiba replied. He pushed off the doorway and sat on the chair in the corner of the room.  
“Okay. I ordered IT to backup all systems twice a day starting today.” He informed.  
“Good.” Kaiba growled.  
“Anything crazy happen at all?” Lara asked.  
“Nope. Your new PA starts Monday by the way. I like her.”  
“Why?” Lara asked suspiciously.  
“Well, the background check turned up pretty clean and she seems quite efficient. A lot like Seto’s PA.”  
“I can live with that. I wouldn’t have thought you would run a background check.” Lara said.  
“Why? Because I’m nice.”  
“There’s that.” She replied.  
“Lara, I’ve learned my lesson a few times over. Seto knows. The threat can come from anywhere. Sometimes even people you trust.”  
“That I know.” She laughed mirthlessly.  
Just then a maid knocked on the door and bowed as she addressed Mokuba informing him that dinner was ready.  
“Please bring Lara's to the room, we'll come to the table shortly.”  
“Yes, sir.” She bowed but Lara interjected before she could walk away.  
“Mokuba, I'm not an invalid. I will join them at the table.” Lara said to the maid.  
“Yes, ma'am.” She bowed and left.  
“Please tell them to call me Lara.” She said to Kaiba. She knew they would not question an instruction from him. Kaiba agreed and the three of them sat down to a lovely dinner of chicken broth for Lara and steak for the brothers. It was nice eating with them as opposed to being alone, in front of the tv. She had always preferred her own company and for the first time, she enjoyed the company of others more. It worried, maybe even scared her a little. She tried to push away these thoughts and just enjoy watching the interaction between Kaiba and Mokuba.

In the days that followed, Lara and Kaiba made all the arrangements to put their plan into action and by Saturday the stage was set. Mokuba was out with Yugi and the gang so he would not know or be a part of the events that would unfold. Lara had informed Kaiba that for years every Saturday morning from nine am to eleven am, Annette would have breakfast at the same cafe with the same group of friends. They were all of noble descent and each one was a lady of leisure. As planned, Lara was in contact with Kaiba's men while Kaiba made the phone call. Lara instructed the first henchman to send the required photo to Kaiba. His phone beeped once signalling that he had received it. Kaiba dialled Zigfried from his office and put the call on loudspeaker.  
“Hello?” A heavily accented voice answered.  
“Zigfried.” Kaiba growled.  
“Herr Kaiba. How lovely to hear from you.”  
“Cut the crap Zigfried. You know why I'm calling.”  
“I take it darling Lara got my letter.” Zigfried chuckled. “I'm surprised she didn't call me herself. But zen again, you make such a handsome knight.”  
Lara's jaw tensed as she listened to Zigfried. She could see her own feelings mirrored on Kaiba's face.  
“I just want to tell you that if you come near her or Kaiba Corp or especially Mokuba again, you will not like what I will do.” Kaiba threatened. His menacing voice effectively delivering his promise.  
“Herr Kaiba, ven vill you learn? There's nosing you can do.”  
“There's plenty I can do Zigfried.”  
“Ven I'm done, I vill have everysing back and you and Lara vill be finished!”  
“Don't threaten me Zigfried. I already told you, you won't like it.”  
“Please Herr Kaiba! You lack ze flair needed to scare me.” Zigfried said haughtily.  
“Do I?” Kaiba growled. He forwarded the picture of the rear of Annette’s car that was taken by the car behind her, from his phone to Zigfried. Kaiba heard the chime of his phone. “Check your phone Zigfried.” Kaiba said smoothly.  
“Fick dich! Do you sink I'll let zis go?!” Zigfried screeched.  
“Call her. Ask her if she's alright. You know that picture was taken now.” Kaiba said smoothly. “Put it on speaker. I want to hear what you say.” He instructed menacingly. Kaiba heard Zigfried call his mother. He spoke to her quickly in German. Lara softly translated so that Kaiba would know exactly what was being said, without her being heard.  
“Mother. I was worried. Are you okay?”  
“I'm fine Zigfried.”  
“Why do you sound stressed?”  
“I'm not sure but I think there is someone following me.”  
“Don't stop anywhere. Not for anything.” The stress and fear in Zigfried’s voice was plain.  
“Herr Kaiba I vill get you for zis.”  
“You aren't learning Zigfried. That was another threat.” Kaiba nodded at Lara who got the message. She instructed the second henchman to jump into action. Kaiba counted the seconds before he heard commotion on Zigfried's other line.  
“Scheiße!” Annette yelled. Lara mouthed the word “fuck” to Kaiba who smirked at her.  
“Mother are you okay? What was that bang?”  
“The SUV! It hit me!”  
“Are you okay?”  
“Yes. I've spun the car. I can still drive it.”  
“Don't stop. Just come home. Fast.”  
“Had enough yet Zigfried?” Kaiba taunted.  
“Please Herr Kaiba!” Zigfried pleaded. “She is my mozer. Just stop, I vill do anysing!”  
“I told you what I want.” Kaiba said icily.  
“Fine! Fine! I vill leave you alone!”  
“If you don't, you know what will happen. There will be no safe place in the world for you or your mother.”  
“I understand. You vill have your peace.”  
“And Zigfried.” Kaiba said tersely. “Never threaten anyone I care about again. You will be watched.” Kaiba hung up. He turned to Lara who was confirming that the men knew what to do next. The dent on the car would have to be sorted that day in another town and the plates would be changed. She then ended her transmission with them.

“That went well.” Lara said to Kaiba.  
“Better than expected.” Kaiba replied.  
“Oh, ye of little faith.” Lara smiled. She was extraordinarily touched by the fact that Kaiba included her in the people he cared about.  
“You realize this won't last forever.” Kaiba said to Lara.  
“I do, but let's enjoy it while we can. He's got a lot to worry about now. I think it will take something pretty major for him to come at us again.” She replied.  
Kaiba like the way she said “us”. He pulled Lara off his chair and brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face. He cradled her head as he kissed her tenderly.  
“We can handle it.” He said gruffly. She smiled up at him, grabbing his soft brown hair between her fingers and pulling his face to hers once more, kissing him deeply.

Mokuba arrived home about an hour later. Kaiba and Lara pulled him into the study, telling him exactly what they did and what the outcome was. There was very little Kaiba did not tell Mokuba and often what he did not, Mokuba figured out anyway.

“You guys went after Annette?! Really?!”  
“You don’t approve?” Lara asked Mokuba.  
“Well-”  
“It was effective.” Kaiba interjected.  
“I don’t doubt that. Why else would you two do it? It’s just…” Mokuba trailed off. He looked between Kaiba and Lara and heaved a sigh. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. Zigfried is under control and you both are okay. Lara, you must really hate her.”  
“I do. She hates me, I hate her, it’s all very healthy.” Lara said sarcastically. “Here’s the thing though, I understand that she hates me and my mother. My father had an affair. It wasn’t fair to Annette and my mother should not have participated. That could not have been easy and then to be told your husband’s mistress’s daughter will be moving in must have been a nightmare. A constant reminder of the most awful thing done to her. The desecration of the sanctity of her marriage. I totally get that and can’t begrudge her that. I hate her because of what she did to Leon. I hate her for what she did to my father. I hate her for being a vile person. I can’t see past that. She’s an awful person and if neutralizing Zigfried’s threat means putting her in the firing line, then I’m okay with it.” Lara said, fire raging in her eyes. Mokuba said nothing in response. He simply enfolded her in a warm hug. Lara felt her anger ebb away in Mokuba’s embrace. He really was a calming presence and she knew that he did not have a darkness in him that she and Kaiba had, but if that darkness kept this precious human safe then she would forever keep that within her.

“I understand Lara. Let’s hope we can have a bit of peace now.” Mokuba said as he released her. “I’ve got to get ready for a date. See you guys later.” Mokuba left Lara and Kaiba alone for the rest of the night.

“He took that better than I thought he would.” Lara said.  
“There isn't much that would shock Mokuba. I'm his brother after all.” Kaiba smiled ruefully.  
“You're not that monstrous you know.” Lara rolled her eyes.  
“I was.” Kaiba said seriously.  
“Was. As in not anymore and that's all that matters. Besides, it's good that you're capable of anything. It's just how you choose to use your abilities that counts.” She said tenderly. “For instance.” She smirked naughtily as she pulled him to her room and locked the door behind her. She pushed a grinning Kaiba down onto the bed and straddled his lap. Now this, was good use of his abilities.


	20. Happy Birthday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoy all the fluff incoming :D

October arrived quickly and brought with it a chill. Things had been quiet since Kaiba and Lara neutralized Zigfried, but they knew this peace was not indefinite. In the meantime, they continued along with the buyout of Schroeder Corp. Kaiba had his consultants working overtime to ensure the smooth transition of everything. From restructuring the company to changing the core focus. Lara had moved back to her apartment, much to Mokuba's dismay and even though Kaiba would not say it, she knew he was disappointed too. She insisted that she had only stayed because there was a threat but she should live in the place she had bought. They eventually relented. However, Kaiba and Lara saw plenty of each other. They continued their lusty relationship and with Lara living so close to work and both of them often working late, they always had opportunities for their trysts.

What October also brought with it was his birthday and at the end of the month, Lara's promotion to head of PR & Marketing. It was already expected that she would take on the role, she had more than adequately fulfilled her responsibilities for the Japanese region. In all honesty, Kaiba did not expect to see dividends of hiring her within three months but she had somehow managed to exceed his expectations. So far Lara had proved to be worth every penny it cost to hire her.

Lara knew Kaiba's birthday was on the twenty-fifth and she had wracked her brain trying to come up with ideas. Eventually she had a pretty good one and she placed the order which was to arrive two days before his birthday. Mokuba had been a tremendous help in putting it together. In addition, he managed to keep the secret and Kaiba suspected nothing.

The Monday before his birthday, Lara was in early. Natsumi, Lara's new PA, came in soon after. She brought with her two steaming mugs of coffee and a tablet with Lara's schedule. They quickly went about filling in the week, ensuring they both knew exactly when she had a gap to see someone and when she had to be left alone with no interruptions. Natsumi was exactly as Mokuba had described. She was friendly, efficient and highly intelligent. She reminded Lara that Kaiba wanted a meeting with her first thing on Wednesday. That should be interesting.

Around mid morning, Natsumi buzzed Lara informing her that there was a package for her. She rushed out to Natsumi's desk and collected the parcel. She took it into her office and quickly removed the excess packaging. Inside there was a black box which contained the beautiful gift she had ordered. Lara was rather excited about giving it to Kaiba. She got out the correspondence card and envelope that had her personal monogram on the top. She wrote out a quick note and placed it inside the box so it would be the first thing Kaiba would see. Lara smiled fondly at the box in her hands. She had come such a long way in a short while with the Kaiba brothers and she only got closer to them in the month and a half since the incident with Zigfried and Annette. Mokuba had become a pseudo brother to her. She was not sure what she and Kaiba were, but she knew she could lean on him entirely and he could do the same. Mokuba still insisted that they were in denial about their relationship which was obvious to everyone except them. The three of them were careful to keep things professional at Kaiba Corp. in front of the employees. Kaiba and Lara agreed that it was important.

The week was moving in leaps and bounds, Lara soon found herself outside Kaiba's office door. His secretary told her to go straight in so she straightened out her dress and walked in. Kaiba's eyes roamed over her body before he asked her to take a seat.

“Happy birthday Kaiba.” Lara smiled as she sat down.

“Thank you.” Kaiba said gruffly. “We're just waiting for Mokuba.” He informed.

“I'm here!” Came his voice as he closed the door. Mokuba took his place beside Kaiba.

“Well, your three months are up next Tuesday and as far as we can see, you have surpassed not only the board's expectations, but mine as well. In light of this, here is your new contract for the position of Head of Public Relations and Marketing for the entirety of the Kaiba Corporation. There will be a jump in salary for the additional responsibilities and you will be required to travel, obviously.” Kaiba informed her. He was all business.

“You have a couple days to go over it. We need it back by Friday.” Mokuba said.

“Okay. Sounds good so far.” She replied. Kaiba handed her the documentation.

“Do you have any questions?” Kaiba asked.

“Just one thing. Can I keep Natsumi?” She asked.

“Yes.” Mokuba answered.

“Lovely! I will read it and get back to you both ASAP. I mean so far everything is exactly as you had initially offered. So I'm happy. I did want to talk to you both about something.”

“What's that?” Mokuba asked.

“I would like to buy shares in KC. I know it would seem suspicious to many so this is what I propose: Let's see the finalisation of the Schroeder Corp. purchase through, which I am assisting with anyway, and if everyone is sufficiently happy and all goes to plan, I'd like the option to buy the shares since I will be invited to the board soon anyway.”

“Okay. That's not unreasonable. What percentage are you looking at?” Kaiba asked.

“Eight percent. If I have an opportunity to purchase anything additional, I will discuss it with you both.”

“Eight percent.” Kaiba repeated pensively.

“You already know that I will back you up. This company must always come first and between your controlling shares, Mokuba's shares and my potential shares, we'd always have the majority.” Lara finished. She could see Kaiba considering her words.

“Okay. I will agree based on you signing this contract and the Schroeder Corp. acquisition.” He replied.

“Great!” Lara smiled. She shook both Kaiba's and Mokuba's hands and made to leave but she needed to know what they were doing later on. “Kaiba, what's the plan for your birthday?”

“Nothing.” He growled.

“What do you mean nothing?” She said outraged.

“Seto doesn't like to celebrate his birthday.” She could tell from Mokuba's tone that it annoyed him.

“That will not do. We're going to dinner. The three of us.” She insisted.

“Lara.” Kaiba said pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I will make reservations for seven at that French restaurant near the hotel. It's close enough that you can still work all day.” Lara said. It was a fair compromise.

“Fine.” Kaiba gave in. Mokuba gave Lara a large toothy grin.

“Thank you Lara.” Mokuba emphasized the 'thank you' and Kaiba rolled his eyes. “Anyway, I got another meeting. See you guys later.” He quickly exited the office leaving Lara and Kaiba alone and he quickly closed the distance between their bodies.

“If you want to keep things professional, you shouldn't wear that dress here.” Kaiba growled. Lara wore a black long sleeved dress that fit her figure. It had a rounded neck with a silver zip that ran from the neckline to the hem which fell at her knees.

“There's nothing wrong with what I'm wearing, besides, you can always do something about it later.” She teased.

“You know that isn't possible tonight.” He said.

“I know.” She smiled.

Lara went back to her office. The first thing she did was was to read through the contract. She read it twice over. Everything was pretty clear and exactly as promised when Mokuba had called her in Germany. She did not really expect anything different. The Kaibas seemed to be honourable enough. Lara signed the contract and gave it back to Kaiba the same afternoon. He told her that she would only be allowed to speak to Natsumi on Monday to which Lara agreed.

She worked late that day. At six forty-five she left the office for the restaurant. The table she had reserved afforded them as much privacy as the place could offer and they would not be disturbed by the other patrons. She was a little worried that Kaiba would not pitch but just before seven, both he and Mokuba had arrived and were shown to their seats.

It was a comfortable dinner. They chatted and laughed. Well, Mokuba did most of the laughing but Kaiba was in good spirits. After they had finished their main course, Lara handed over the black box to Kaiba.

“Happy birthday.” She said. He took it from her, touched by her generosity. “I think you should open it at home.”

“Why?” He asked suspiciously.

“Because, I know you well enough now to know it's something you would prefer seeing in private.”

Mokuba agreed with Lara so Kaiba put it to the side. It nagged at him though. He did not like not knowing. After a decadent dessert, the three of them headed off.

As soon as the brothers arrived home, Kaiba headed up to his room. Mokuba said he was going to take a shower which left Kaiba with enough privacy to open his gift. He took off his tie and undid the top button of his shirt, then lifted the lid of the black box and saw the handwritten correspondence card from Lara.

 

_What do you get the man that has everything? A reminder maybe... A reminder of how the people who care about him the most see him._

_Smiling, full of potential, highly intelligent, brave, with an extraordinary capacity for love._

_Happy birthday Seto Kaiba – the most extraordinary of us all_

_XX Lara_

 

Kaiba read the note and placed it on his bed. He then moved the tissue paper to reveal a picture frame. He carefully removed it from the box. Lara was right, he was glad he opened the gift in private. The frame was a wide silver rectangle that had a dragon with sapphire eyes curled protectively around the photo which was a picture of a twelve-year-old Kaiba playing chess with a very young Mokuba. They both had carefree smiles on their faces. It was taken the day they arrived at Gozaburo's mansion and was the first and only happy picture after his adoption. Kaiba had entirely forgotten that this photo was taken. He read the card again. Kaiba held the frame in his hand, tracing the dragon with his finger. There were so many memories, emotions swirling around within him right now. It was a reminder. Not much had changed in him wanting to protect Mokuba. Kaiba heard Lara's voice from a few weeks back play in his head.

“ _Well Mokuba is such a positive force.”_

“ _...what you’ve built is nothing short of amazing.”_

“ _He shows who you really are. It’s pretty special.”_

Kaiba had no words to describe this. It was thoughtful beyond measure. Maybe that Seto was in him somewhere but he was lost, and Kaiba doubted he'd ever return.

Mokuba walked into Kaiba's room. He was still looking at the picture.

“Bro?” Mokuba called tentatively. Kaiba reflexively looked up. “Can I see?” He asked as he sat on the bed.

“You knew about this.” Kaiba said as he handed it over.

“More or less. Lara asked me for a picture. I looked though the old box and found this one. She asked me to scan it and send it to her which I did. I didn't know about the frame.” He replied.

“There is a note.” Kaiba said. Mokuba read it and looked at Kaiba who flopped back against the bed covering his face with his hands.

“She's right.” Mokuba said. Kaiba said nothing in response. “Well, I'm going to talk and you're going to listen.” Mokuba ignored Kaiba's audible groan. He removed his hands from his face and folded them under his head. “Seto, I get this gift must stir up some stuff but she is absolutely right. And look at this pic, it's one of my favourites. It's very thoughtful and you know that the reason she knew you'd appreciate it, is because of her and Leon. Now I know you both don't like me saying that you are alike, but you are. And this gift shows me how much she cares for you. Do you care for her?”

“Of course I do Mokuba.” Kaiba replied.

“Do you love her?” Mokuba asked but Kaiba kept silent. “Bro, you love her. Tell her for heaven's sake!”

“It's not that simple Mokuba. I doubt she's interested anyway.”

“Seto, are you blind? Look at this!” He brandished the frame at Kaiba. “She does love you but she may not be ready to acknowledge that. If you aren't comfortable saying it, then show it somehow.”

Kaiba simply sighed in response.

“You know I'm right.” Mokuba said quietly. “I'm going to leave this by your bedside.” Mokuba placed the frame on one of Kaiba's bedside tables. “So, what are you going to do?”

Kaiba sighed then pocketed the note and grabbed his car and house keys. “Be safe and stay in. I won't be home tonight.” Kaiba said. Mokuba beamed at his retreating figure.

* * *

Lara was curled up on her sofa, a soft blanket thrown over her legs. The TV was playing quietly in the background while she did some work on her laptop. There was an urgent knock on her door. She wondered who that could be. She moved her laptop off her lap and got out from under the blanket. She padded barefoot to the door and looked through the peep hole only to find Kaiba on the other side. She unlocked the door and pulled it open at once.

“Kaiba! This is a surprise. Come in.” She invited. He stepped in determinedly while she relocked the door. “What can I-” Lara was cut off mid-sentence as Kaiba's lips came crushing down on hers. He held the sides of her face kissing her ardently. Lara had a fleeting moment of hesitation as he caught her unawares but was instantly kissing him back. He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He held her in place with his strong arms and walked through her apartment, gently setting her back down on her feet as he leaned her against the kitchen counter. He never once broke the connection of their lips. Their tongues danced together, an electricity building in their core. He lifted her onto the edge of the counter, leaning down to kiss her passionately. Lara could tell there was something different about him. She pulled away, breaking the kiss.

“Kaiba.” She whispered, staring into the depths of his eyes. “What's wrong?”

“Nothing.” He said softly.

“Tell me.” She insisted. Kaiba pulled out her hand-written note from the gift she had given him and placed it on the counter. She understood instantly. “Oh Kaiba.” She whispered. “Come with me.” She hopped off the counter, grabbing his hand and leading the way to her room. Kaiba swiped the note off the counter and slipped it back into his pocket.

Lara could only imagine the torrent of emotions she unleashed with her gift, so she would try to be all he needed now. She pulled him alongside her bed and slowly undid the buttons on his dress shirt. She pushed it off his shoulders, casually tossing it onto her wicker chair. Next, she undid his belt and he slipped off his shoes to make it easier for her. His eyes never left her. She pulled down his trousers and made to toss it as well but Kaiba caught it easily. She looked at him curiously but all he did was remove the note from his pocket and laid it down on her pedestal before the pants met his discarded shirt. She gave him a small smile and quickly lay waste to the rest of his garments. Kaiba gently cupped the side of her face and she leaned into his warm hand. He ran his fingers along the sides of her neck down to the dip at her throat and along the rounded neckline of her dress. He held the zipper and slowly pulled it down until her dress parted completely in the centre. He took it off her, dropping it to the floor, revealing dark green satin lingerie. Kaiba held her sides and pulled her closer to him. He slipped his hands around her and deftly unclasped her bra, pulling it off and discarding it with the rest of her clothes. He lay her down, across the bed and trailed light kisses down her torso. All his touches were far gentler than they usually were. His lips met the top of her panties and he slid them off her as he stood up. Lara moved up against the pillows and beckoned for Kaiba to join her. Instead, he laid a trail of kisses up the inside of her leg, up her thigh, and to her mound, kissing and teasing the bundle of nerves. She let out a strangled moan that made him smile. He hovered over her, caressing her body with his lips. Kaiba wrapped his lips around her nipple, teasing her with his tongue and teeth. He heard her breath escape her body in a harsh whisper making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He kissed her fervently. Her lips moving in perfect synchronicity with his own. Lara could tell there was a lot different about him today. His kisses were almost filled with... veneration.

Kaiba was not sure when exactly Lara had pushed her way into his heart, but she brought with her so much hope even if she did not know it. He needed to show her how much she meant.

Kaiba eased himself inside her, slowly. She arched her back in pure pleasure.

“Oh Kaiba.” She said his name in a breathy whisper. He moaned into her neck which gave her butterflies in the pit of her stomach. Her heart was hammering in her chest. He wrapped his arms around her as she wrapped hers around his neck. He pulled her up with him, allowing her to straddle him. They moved together, chests heaving and hips grinding. She threw her head back trying to absorb all the pleasure but he pulled her into a close embrace. She lightly bit his ear lobe and nuzzled his neck. All they could hear was each other's ragged breathing. Lara was beginning to climb, Kaiba knew he was not far behind. He laid her back down, taking control and setting the pace with his hips. Lara closed her eyes as she gasped.

“Please. Don't close your eyes.” Kaiba growled low and throaty. He looked into the depths of her soul, losing himself in the sea of green. Lara looked into his blue eyes, they were raw and unguarded. She threw head back and grabbed onto his arms. He felt her clench around him as she exploded in a thousand pieces moaning unintelligibly. Kaiba kissed her hard, riding her through her release and into his own, panting raggedly, his lips still connected to hers. He slowly opened his eyes, breathing heavily.

“Hi there.” Lara smiled. Kaiba was entirely overcome by some unnamed emotion.

“Lara...I...” He whispered but she put a finger to his lips.

“Me too.” She replied. She knew she felt pretty much what he was feeling but she was not ready to hear it and she did not want him to say it after what was sure to have been an emotional day.

Kaiba kissed her forehead and ran his nose along hers. He moved off her and they lay facing each other. There was so much running through his mind and Lara could see that. She needed to pull him from his thoughts.

“I think a bath sounds like a great idea. Want to join me?” She cooed.

“Sure.” He replied.

The water gushed into the tub as she opened the taps. She made sure it was just the perfect temperature. Kaiba watched her from the room as she milled about the bathroom, twisting her hair up and pinning it place, exposing the elegant curve of her neck. He joined her in the bathroom as she switched off the taps, standing behind her and running his fingers lightly over her arms, watching as he left goose bumps in his wake. She stepped into the hot water with Kaiba climbing in behind her. He pulled her to his chest and wrapped her in a protective embrace. She brought his hand up to her lips, placing a quick kiss on his knuckle.

“Kaiba, what are we?” She asked softly. She turned to look at him but he was looking to the side. She turned back around so she could not see his face as he answered.

“I don't know.” He replied. “Do we really need a title? I can't think of an adequate one.”

“I suppose.” She responded.

“I don't want to call you my girlfriend, it's a juvenile title and not enough.” He said gruffly. She genuinely felt the same. “And my name is Seto.” He said tenderly. Lara spun around in the tub, sending water sloshing over the side.

“Are you sure you want _me_ to call you that?” She asked incredulously.

“Yes. And what do you mean by am I sure I want _you_ to call me that?” He asked mimicking her intonation.

“Well, it's me, Lara. No one entirely special. A Von Schroeder. A mistake.” She shook her head as vocalized her internal negativity that she always carried with her.

“Lara.” Kaiba's tone had turned stern. “You are special to Mokuba and me. And so what if you are a Schroeder. There's nothing wrong with the name. It's the competition yes, but haven't you already proven you are different from the others.”

“I guess.”

“And I never want to hear you say you are a mistake again. Are we clear?” He said forcefully.

“Kaiba, it's what I am.”

“I don't care. We aren't given a choice of how we come into the world, you don't have control over that. I don't believe in mistakes and I don't believe in coincidences.”

“That's kind of you to say.” She replied.

“It's not. It's just the truth.” He said adamantly. Lara held his gaze for a moment then turned around and lay against his chest once more.

“You know, I'm still going to call you 'Mr Kaiba' at the office.” Lara smiled.

“I fully expected you to say that.” Kaiba said.

“Good.” Lara chuckled.

“But say it.” Kaiba said.

“Say what?” Lara asked.

“My name. Say it.” He said seductively close to her ear. His breath on her wet skin made her shiver. She turned to face him, looking him in the eye.

“Seto.” She said huskily. She would keep saying it if he rewarded her with that smirk every time.

They soon climbed out of the tub and dried off. Lara let the water out and handed Kaiba a coat hanger for his clothes. She shut down the apartment and climbed under the covers with Kaiba who pulled her close. He kissed her neck and she soon fell asleep not knowing when she was ever this content. Kaiba listened to her steady, rhythmic breathing, it lulled him to sleep and was soon lost to the world.


	21. Expectations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a little bit of fluffy goodness before things start getting serious :) Enjoy

In her faraway dream state, Lara could hear a faint beep. It was persistent and getting louder. As consciousness slowly returned to her, she realized that her alarm had gone off. She quickly switched it off, turned on her bedside lamp and rolled over to face Kaiba who was rousing from his slumber. It was a treat to see him this way. None of his shields were up, his hair was tousled and he looked so utterly relaxed. His eyelids fluttered open and he bathed Lara in a glorious smile that warmed the cockles of her heart.

“Morning.” She smiled as she ran her fingers through his soft brown hair.

“Hmm.” Kaiba replied. “What time is it?” He asked.

“Five fifteen. What time do you usually get to the office?” She asked.

“Six thirty most mornings.” He replied.

“So, we have an hour to ourselves.” She smirked.

Kaiba pulled her close, he brushed a strand away from her face and claimed her lips. His fingers tangled in her hair and his thumb caressed her cheek. Lara responded immediately, melting into his touch. His hands roamed her body under the covers and a good portion of their hour was soon lost to their early morning carnal pleasure.

They quickly brushed their teeth, Lara having given Kaiba a spare toothbrush which he decided he would leave in her bathroom, showered and readied themselves for the day. The symbolism of Kaiba leaving the toothbrush was not lost on Lara and she realized that this was exactly what she wanted. They may not have a name for what their relationship was just yet, but whatever it was, was special and she would protect it with everything she had.

Lara quickly dressed in a navy blue and gold military style dress and tan stiletto ankle boots, while Kaiba pulled on the clothes he had on the day before. It was not a problem to him seeing as he always kept a spare change of clothes at the office. Thanks to their morning antics, there was no time to have breakfast or coffee. Lara collected her things and was ready to go. They rode the elevator down to the parking level, got into their cars and drove to Kaiba Corp. The trip only took them five minutes. There was very little traffic at this time of morning.

They went their separate ways once they got to the KC building. After all, their offices were on different floors. Lara switched on her computer and checked the time. It was still a little before six thirty. She could see why Kaiba liked coming in this early, the building was entirely quiet and would be for at least another twenty minutes. The phone on her desk rang, making her jump a little in surprise.

“Lara, hello.” She answered.

“Come up to my office.” Kaiba instructed.

“On my way.” She placed the receiver back in the cradle and headed upstairs. His secretary was already there. “Morning.” Lara greeted her.

“Good morning Miss Schroeder. He's waiting for you.”

Lara smiled her thanks at the PA. She pushed open the heavy wooden door and closed it behind her.

“What's up Seto?” She asked. She could see he was pleased that she had used his name. He really liked the way it sounded when she said it.

“Have a seat.” He instructed. She sat opposite him and noticed two steaming mugs of coffee.

“You didn't have anything this morning.” Kaiba explained. Lara was touched by the gesture.

“Thank you.” She wrapped her hands around the hot mug, the heat felt wonderful this early. Kaiba sipped his coffee as he read through his emails. They did not chat much, it was more of a companionable silence.

“I'd like you to come up every morning.” Kaiba growled in his usual way. Lara understood that he was making an effort for her.

“I'd like that.” She replied.

 

He quizzed her about her schedule for the rest of the week. They finished their coffee while chatting about her putting plans into motion that would run the course of at least six months to ensure that Kaiba Corp. was not affected by her leaving her post.

“And Lara, don't forget, Natsumi finds out on Monday.” Kaiba said sternly. Just then Mokuba entered the office.

“Don't worry Seto, I haven't forgotten.” She replied. Mokuba drew up next to her and looked between her and Kaiba.

“Did you just call my brother 'Seto'?” He asked. Kaiba rolled his eyes at his little brother.

“I did.” Lara smirked.

“Freaking finally!” Mokuba exclaimed. It made him so incredibly happy to hear Lara use his name. It felt like she was part of the family.

“It's not a big deal Mokuba.” Kaiba sighed.

“The hell it isn't.” Mokuba retorted excitedly.

“You really need to cut back on the sugar.” Kaiba teased.

“You're such a comedian Seto.” It was Mokuba's turn to roll his eyes. Lara always enjoyed watching the two interact. They were so different and Kaiba was often so cold and quick to anger that the banter seemed out of place yet entirely comfortable. It was as if the man that was around his younger brother was the real Seto Kaiba.

 

“Oh! Before I forget.” Lara started, “When is HR hiring my replacement?”

“We should have the shortlist tomorrow.” Mokuba replied.

“Okay. I'd like to have a say in who finally takes the position. I've worked hard on that division, I want someone that I know can handle anything, take over the reins.”

“That's fine. Mokuba and I will get the files tomorrow afternoon to look over. I'll call you in.” Kaiba agreed.

“Perfect. See you guys later.” Lara waved and headed back down to her own office. Natsumi was already in.

“Morning Natsumi.” Lara greeted.

“Good morning Lara.” Natsumi replied. Lara insisted on a less formal interaction with her PA even though many people at Kaiba Corp. did not approve of it. Natsumi was able to speak to Lara freely and inform her of anything unofficial that could benefit Lara knowing.

“Would you like a cup of coffee?” Natsumi asked.

“No thank you. I've already had.” Lara said as she walked into her office.

“Lara, can I speak to you for moment?” She asked as she followed Lara in.

“Of course. Close the door.”

Natsumi did as Lara asked and took a seat in front of her desk.

“There are some rumours going around.” Natsumi said.

“About?” Lara enquired.

“You and Mr Kaiba. Some of the employees have noticed that you both interact differently. I know you have a friendship but I thought you should know what's going on.” Natsumi informed.

“Thank you Natsumi. Can you tell me exactly what they have been saying?”

“Um...” A blush stole across Natsumi's cheeks. She was trying to think of a way to phrase it delicately. Lara inferred plenty from that. “Well, some of them think that you and Mr Kaiba have a physical relationship...” Natsumi was visibly uncomfortable. _'They have no idea'_ Lara thought to herself inwardly smirking. “...and that's the reason you got this job.” Natsumi finished.

Lara rolled her eyes. “People will talk but I'll sort it out. Don't worry, you won't be implicated, I'll make sure.”

Natsumi seemed satisfied with Lara's response. They had a great rapport and Lara was thrilled that she would get to keep her as her PA.

“Thank you Natsumi. I appreciate the heads up.”

“Any time.” She smiled and exited Lara's office.

Lara was now faced with a dilemma. She could deal with it on her own but Kaiba would not be happy with that or she could tell him but he would definitely be on the war path. There was Mokuba and he could handle things delicately but then again Kaiba would be upset. Whichever way she looked at it, she knew she had to tell him. She decided to wait until the next day, after the selection of the replacement.

 

Thursday seemed to roll right into Friday and before she knew it, Lara was outside Kaiba's office. She entered the office to find that he was waiting with Mokuba on the couch. They had three files stacked on the coffee table. Lara joined them, taking her seat next to Kaiba.

Over the next two hours, the three of them debated the merits of each of the shortlisted candidates. Lara had a clear favourite but Kaiba wanted to make sure they covered every aspect of the hire.

“I'm sticking to my guns on this.” Lara said. “He is second in terms of education but look at these references. Plus I know two of those companies he worked for and in the time he did, things looked good.”

“I don't dispute that.” Kaiba said.

“But you are hung up on the education thing.” Lara stated.

“So we can say this guy is definitely out.” Mokuba said regarding the third file to which Lara and Kaiba agreed.

“Let's look at it this way. The only reason we have not immediately chosen him is because his school and universities were not as prestigious, however, we prefer everything else about him. His work record is better.” Lara reasoned.

“You have a point.” Kaiba allowed.

“So what's your decision bro?” Mokuba asked.

“Lara's choice.” Kaiba said evenly. “His track record is better and his background check proved cleaner.”

“Great.” Lara smiled.

“I'll have these taken down to HR. I'd like us not to waste any more time.” Mokuba said. He left the Kaiba's office leaving Lara with a moment to speak to Kaiba about the rumour mill.

“Seto, I need to chat to you about something that needs to be dealt with tactfully.” Lara said and immediately Kaiba's eyebrows knit together. “There are some rumours going around the building about us.”

“What rumours?” He growled.

“Apparently, people have noticed that you are different with me. They assume we are sleeping together and that's why I got the job.” She stated.

“I'll take care of it.” He said with an edge.

“Which is what worries me. Remember the part where I said 'tactfully'.” She shook her head.

“Kaiba Corp. is not a social club for people to get their daily gossip.” He said menacingly.

“I agree but we are dealing with people. People need to talk, be social. Now the rumours are a problem but we can't threaten to fire anyone who talks about us because that would add fuel to the fire.”

“So what would you have me do?” He said patronizingly.

“Firstly, that tone won't work on me. Secondly, we can think of a solution together. I mean part of it is true you know. At the same time, it is your company so all I can really do is tell you what's going on.”

“It is my company.” Kaiba growled. “And you are mine, and I don't appreciate being the subject of whatever drivel is being spread. I especially don't care for what it insinuates about you.”

“I appreciate that but-”

“But nothing. I will handle it.”

“Okay.” Lara smiled. There was no point arguing with him.

Lara went back to her office, continuing the tasks she was busy with before the meeting about her replacement. A ping from her computer alerted her to the memo that was just sent out. She opened it to find that it had been sent to all employees by Kaiba. It basically stated that he would instantly dismiss anyone he found spreading slanderous statements about him as the CEO of the company and the regional head of PR & Marketing. He added that the spreading of false stories was damaging to Kaiba Corp. and would not be tolerated.

Clearly he did not follow Lara's advice. She shook her head the screen. He definitely had no idea what tactfully meant. Well, there was not much Lara could do about it now. She would just have to deal with whatever came later.

Days passed and still she had had no whispers reach her ears. Apparently, people were sufficiently terrified of Kaiba to need only one warning. No one wanted to risk him hearing about anything they had said and somehow, he always found out.

Lara did not spend too much time dwelling on this. She had informed Natsumi that she would be moving to a new position and that she would remain as her PA should she want the job. Natsumi immediately agreed and the two of them moved office.

Lara's new office was on the floor below Kaiba's. She had her modern glass table and black leather chair brought up and removed the ones that were in the office. There was far too much wood in the old furniture for her liking. The office was rather large so Lara arranged for a small glass and chrome meeting table to be brought in. She added a wide black wool couch. It was inevitable that she would pull all nighters, she needed a comfortable place to rest when she did.

Lara looked around at her surroundings realizing exactly where her life had brought her. She was at the pinnacle of her field in the most respected company, she had managed to devise the rescue of Schroeder Corp. without losing it, and she was in a relationship of sorts with the most extraordinary man she had ever met. She really had come further than anyone could have expected.

She looked out the window at the street below, eager to see what came next.


	22. Festive Madness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Hey lovely people. So, things start getting a bit juicy from the end of this chapter :D Also, tomorrow morning is the Japanese GP so I wouldn't have had the time to post the chapter... didn't think anyone would mind it being up a few hours early :D Enjoy and let me know what you think :)

 

Time marched on. Lara made herself comfortable in her new position. She was an elected member of the board and was proving to be a massive asset. It was now December and Kaiba Corp. was in full swing for the festive season. Lara spent increasing amounts of time at the office ensuring all areas of the business were adequately covered by her department. She was being split several ways; the hotels had to be advertised appropriately for their level of luxury, the amusement parks had to have specials that attracted people despite the cold, and the new games and consoles required their own massive marketing drives.

It was expected that she would see less of Kaiba during this time, they barely saw each other during the week so she started spending the weekends at the mansion. It was a good idea but usually both Lara and Kaiba would go to work and arrive home in time to sleep only to repeat the process.

Lara looked at the time, it was eleven p.m. She rubbed her eyes tiredly deciding that she needed a break from her work for a few minutes. She took a look out the window to find that the city was covered in a thin layer of snow. She had no idea when it had begun but it made Domino look like something out of a fairy tale. The silver and gold lights twinkled over the white sheet with little snowflakes falling from the heavens. It was beautiful and brought difficult memories. She would always go out with Leon to enjoy the snowfall in the peace and quiet of night. There was no Leon this year, and probably never again.

She heaved a big sigh and went to pour herself a mug of coffee only to find the pot empty so she trekked to the kitchen to get some there. Lara pulled a paper cup from the stack and placed it under the nozzle of the coffee vending machine. She hit the button for a double espresso and waited as the machine buzzed and whirred while it prepared her drink. Once the machine stopped and the display instructed her to take her drink, she left the kitchen, making her way back to her office.

Tonight was particularly stressful. So far, all her plans and campaigns were going well, save one. Of course it would be the one that would prove the most disastrous to get wrong. All the promotional material needed for arguably the most anticipated game of the season, was delivered to the wrong address, in the wrong town. Lara got hold of the supervisor running the campaign who had informed her that not only was the manager not answering his phone, but he was also aware of the mistake and thought it would be fine to sort out on Monday. She could not believe the gall of the man. She could not wait the entire weekend to fix the problem. Thankfully, the supervisor of the team was immensely helpful and hard working. She got the name of the team member who dealt with the delivery coordination of the promotional material, fully intending to read them the riot act. As for the manager, he was soon to be out of a job.

At the level Lara was now operating at, no one expected her to involve herself with the day to day activities, however, it was their busiest time of year and if something went wrong, it did not matter what level of management she was, she would fix it. By midnight Lara had arranged for a vehicle to fetch and deliver to Domino, all the promo material. She was informed when the vehicle left Kyoto and was told it would arrive in Domino by six a.m. the next morning. Once everything was back under control, Lara gave a very aggravated Kaiba a quick call to tell him what had happened and informed him of her plans to terminate the manager's employment. She gave him a run down of the situation and he agreed with her. It was almost two a.m. when she reached the mansion. Exhausted, she simply stripped off all clothes and climbed into bed. She was asleep immediately. She had no idea what time it was when she felt a weight on the bed and strong arms snake around her, holding her close. She instantly fell asleep again.

Lara felt like she had only just got to bed when she was woken up by her ringing phone.

"Lara, hello." She answered groggily.

"Miss Schroeder?" The driver queried, she was instantly awake.

"Yes."

"You said I should report when all the promo material was delivered. I just made the last delivery."

"Great. So all six stores have them?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Anything go wrong?" Lara asked.

"No, ma'am. The people in Kyoto were quite helpful." The driver answered.

"So everything was at one location?!" Lara could feel her temper fraying once more.

"Yes ma'am. The entire truck load."

"Okay. Thank you for your help. Get some rest." Lara said as she ended the call. She sat upright in bed, running her hand through her hair. She was going to need a holiday after this. Kaiba had woken up and made his way to the bathroom while Lara was on the phone. He emerged with a white towel in his hands, drying his face.

"Sorted?" He growled. His fuse was a lot shorter than usual at the moment.

"Sorted." Lara sighed.

"It will be over in a few weeks." He said, his tone softening somewhat.

"Yup." She replied running her hands over her face.

"You must have dealt with this at Schroeder." He stated.

"Yes, but nothing prepares you for Kaiba Corp." She replied. "What time did you get in?"

"Three."

"We must be crazy." She laughed. "Anyway, we're almost done on our side. Just that one game left."

"If the idiots in dev can finish it in time." Kaiba said harshly.

"Damn."

"They have a week to finish it, or else." He threatened.

Lara showered and brushed her teeth. When she walked into the dressing room Kaiba had just pulled a white shirt off the hanger and slipped it on. She smiled at him as she opened the cupboard to get some clothes out. Kaiba stepped behind her and spun her around. He tangled his fingers in her hair, urgently and roughly kissing Lara's lips. She moaned at the contact and far too quickly he pulled away.

"I know we haven't spent any time together in weeks." Kaiba started but Lara cut him off.

"Seto it's fine. I completely understand. Things will settle down after Christmas."

She stepped out of his embrace and pulled on a pair of white pants and a cobalt blue blouse. She slipped on her boots and was ready for another day at the grindstone. Kaiba appreciated what she wore.

"That's my girl." He smirked and she simply winked back at him.

When Monday rolled around, both Lara and Kaiba were on the war path. She asked Natsumi to make sure the manager was in her office first thing when he got in. She busied herself with some of the smaller tasks for the day, getting them out of the way before she tackled anything else. She barely looked up when Natsumi showed the man in.

"Have a seat." Lara said, finally putting down her pen.

"Miss Schroeder. I was surprised that you wanted to see me." He said with a smile that made Lara's jaw twitch.

"Really?" She said evenly. "Because I don't think it should be a surprise that I want to see you when our promo material ENDS UP IN KYOTO!" She yelled. She took a deep steadying breath. "We tried to get a hold of you on Friday. Why did you not answer?" She asked.

"I was away, no signal." He replied. "Also, we could have sorted out the delivery today. In fact, I was about to do that when your PA told me to come up immediately."

"Yes, I know about your plans to sort it out today. That was unacceptable. Then you choose to go away when you know very well Kaiba Corp. may require you to do overtime at busy periods; additionally, even for a manager leave is not an automatic right, it has to be approved. In fact, your contract states that you will be required to do overtime work when the necessity arises. It arose on Friday."

"Yes, I accept that but there was no harm in fixing the issue this morning." He replied.

"Firstly, I sorted your mess out. Secondly, if you remember, all displays for the game are put up today."

"I took an executive decision. One day would not have hurt us. Besides, we could have easily got the promo material back from Kyoto."

"You do realise Kyoto is almost six hours away?" She asked condescendingly. "In addition, ALL our material for Domino was delivered to ONE location in Kyoto." The look on the manager's face told Lara that he did not know that bit of information. Her control over her temper was slipping. "And you took an executive decision, did you? Changing campaign dates is above your pay grade. Every bit of marketing we do is defined by percentages and forecasts. Everything is carefully planned. Also, did you even once consider the bad press that would come from not having the games displayed in Domino City, home of Kaiba Corp. headquarters, when it's up everywhere else in the world?" She said slowly. Her voice grew lower and lower with each word.

"Admittedly, I did not consider that." He said. He had managed to hold himself proudly throughout Lara's tirade but even he knew where this was now going.

"You are fired. Your pass will be handed to security, they will escort you to get your belongings and then you will leave once HR has done all they need to. You will be paid out your month's salary, HR will explain the rest. Get out."

The manager wordlessly left Lara's office. She immediately hit the intercom for Natsumi.

"Natsumi, I need you to-"

"Already on it, Lara." She said.

"Thanks." Lara thanked the heavens that she had such an efficient PA. She would owe Mokuba forever. Lara called Kenji Fukuhara, her replacement when she was promoted, informing him that she would like the supervisor that assisted her to be made acting manager until he could sort out a replacement with HR. She told him to watch the work the supervisor did and not to discount them for the management position on a full-time basis. Good work always deserved good rewards and that was precisely how she turned the PR and Marketing department at Schroeder Corp. into the best performing department.

She managed to accomplish a fair amount in the day. Following the excitement in the morning, the rest of the day seemed pretty quiet, that was until her email pinged. She took a look at the email and her blood ran cold. It was from Zigfried. Lara printed the email and forwarded it to Kaiba, then ran out of her office. The lift was not on her floor but she did not have time to wait. She went to the stairwell and ran up the stairs, two at a time. She had to see Kaiba, she did not care if he was busy, this was important. She sprinted to Kaiba's office door only barely registering his PA saying that she could not go in but she was past caring. She threw the door open and stepped in. Kaiba was furious. There were two very shaken men standing before him.

"I'm really sorry to interrupt." She said when a ferociously angry Kaiba turned his glare on her. "This is really important." Lara handed the email to Kaiba who read it quickly and turned to her.

"Where is Mokuba?" He asked gruffly.

"In a meeting." Lara replied.

"Sit on the couch." He instructed harshly, then turned his attention back on the men as Lara took her seat. "You are so far behind schedule and falling further behind every day!" Kaiba looked murderous.

"We have had some setbacks sir."

"Then why did you not ask for help?! You should have come to me the first week you had a fucking issue! YOU ARE NOW THREE WEEKS BEHIND!" He bellowed. "I will give you one week. Get every member of your department on it, get them working overtime. I don't care what it takes. One more mistake and you are out of here. The release date stands. Understood?" His words were deathly quiet. Lara had never seen him so angry. Well, maybe once after her apartment was broken into. The two men quickly left and closed the door behind them.

"When did you speak to Mokuba?" Kaiba asked.

"About twenty minutes ago. He's in the downstairs boardroom dealing with R and D. You want me to pull him out?" Lara asked.

"No. He's safe there." Kaiba said, rereading the email.

 **Subject:** Interesting Reading

 **From:** Zigfried von Schroeder

 **To:** Lara von Schroeder

 **Date:** Monday, December 4, 2017, 15:05

Hello Lara

You and Herr Kaiba must be surprised to hear from me. You shouldn't be. You knew I would come back and now I am coming for Herr Kaiba's whole family. Mokuba, little Yugi Motou and you, even though you are the only one not related, but you chose your side. You should read the attachments.

Auf Wiedersehen.

Zigfried

"Call Yugi." Kaiba growled.


	23. Anguish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, hopefully you all enjoy another chapter in this saga :D Let me know what you guys think :)

“Shall I tell him to come here?” Lara asked.  
“Yes.” Kaiba said stiffly.  
“Okay.” She replied as she pulled her phone out. She quickly searched through her contacts and tapped Yugi's name. Two numbers appeared on her screen and she tapped the shop number, knowing it was more likely to be answered. It rang longer than she was accustomed to. Eventually he answered.  
“Kame Game Shop, how can I help you?” Came Yugi's voice.  
“Hi Yugi, it's Lara.” She said urgently.  
“Hi Lara. Is everything okay?” He could tell from her tone something was wrong.  
“No. How soon can you get to Kaiba Corp.?” She asked. She never took her eyes of Kaiba who was reading the email again.  
“I have a few customers but I should be able to leave in about thirty minutes. I can get one of the assistants to lock up.”  
“Please do so. I'll see you soon.” Lara hung up and went to sit in front of Kaiba's desk. She was willing herself to keep calm. She knew that Kaiba did not need her to show how on edge she was, his mind would already be working overtime.

“Have you looked at these attachments?” He asked.  
“No. I just forwarded it to you.” She replied.  
“Good. I want you to delete the email.” Kaiba instructed.  
“Concerned about viruses?” She enquired.  
“Yes.”  
“Don't blame you. So how are you going to open this.” She walked round to stand behind him, watching as he worked.  
“I run my email client through virtualisation just in case. If something has a particularly nasty virus such as the ones your brother is known for, I can just kill the virtual machine.” He drawled. Lara could tell that Kaiba was struggling to keep his voice even and could only imagine the tempest of fury brewing within.

He opened the folder which revealed several documents. There were no viruses but there was information that even Kaiba had never seen before. He read through document after document. Lara saw his jaw tense. She scanned through some of the files over his shoulder and moved to stand by the expansive glass window. Concern was etched onto her face as she watched his hands curl into fists. His knuckles had turned white.

Kaiba's office was thick with silence. He slammed the lid shut of his laptop and ran his hands over his face.

“Seto?” Lara called him gently but he did not turn around. She walked up alongside his chair and spun him around to face her. His eyes barely masked the pain he was trying to hide. “Talk to me.” She said softly.  
“You said you didn't look at these. Why?” He asked gruffly.  
“Well, I after I saw the threat I thought you needed to see it first. I knew you'd tell me if you wanted me to know. After I sent it I thought the attachments may not be safe but that seems to have been a worry for naught.” Lara replied. Kaiba said nothing. He just studied her face in a cold gaze. “Seto, you're scaring me. Please talk to me.” She pleaded.  
He took a deep breath. “It's obviously lies.” He said unconvincingly. His voice was rough.  
“What is?” She asked. Kaiba simply motioned for her to take a look. She opened his laptop and began reading. There were numerous items in the folder. It had details on the orphanage they lived at, details on the relatives that abandoned the brothers, and the brothers' living relatives which pointed to only Yugi. It claimed that Kaiba's and Yugi's mothers were siblings. Everything was presented as a fact sheet so there were no reasons or explanations.  
“How is this possible?” She whispered to herself.  
“Your guess is as good as mine.” Kaiba replied.  
“You need to know for sure. There's only one way to do that.” Lara said.  
“I know that.” He snapped.  
“We are going to have to explain some of it to Yugi. First, we need to speak to Mokuba. He has to know what's going on or at least tell him not to leave the building Seto.”  
“I know what we have to do to protect my brother Lara.” Kaiba fired back.  
Lara understood why Kaiba was lashing out and for a change it had not struck a nerve, she could not get upset at him right now. She simply held his hands.  
“Seto, I'm not the enemy. I want to help.” She spoke barely above a whisper, holding his gaze. He finally looked down, sighing as he did so.  
“I know that.”  
“Then let's go interrupt Mokuba.”

They stepped out of Kaiba's office and Lara went to call the elevator. Kaiba instructed his PA to cancel his remaining appointments for the day. He pulled Lara away from the lift doors.  
“We'll use mine.” He growled. He swiped his card and the doors slid open. Lara pressed the button for the floor Mokuba was on and they smoothly descended. She watched Kaiba out the corner of her eye. His eyes were closed and his arms were crossed over his chest. His face was arranged in a stoic mask in an attempt to not betray his feelings. The lift came to a halt and the silver doors slid open.  
“Would you like me to wait here?” Lara asked.  
“No.” He replied, blue eyes boring into hers. Kaiba walked out and Lara fell into step beside him. The employees seem to notice that something was off, giving Kaiba a wider berth than usual. Lara supposed that to them he was radiating hostility for a reason they did not know and no one wanted to be in the path of a possible dismissal.

They walked around the glass wall of the boardroom, catching sight of Mokuba at the head of the table. He was staring at the man at the far end of the table with a raised eyebrow. He was not Kaiba, but Mokuba had learnt to be assertive and at times intimidating. The employees often preferred having to deal with him because he was less likely to explode but Lara knew he was not to be underestimated. Kaiba had raised him well, he had raised a young man who at the drop off a hat could hold down Kaiba Corp.

Mokuba looked up catching Kaiba's eye. He raised a finger to stop the person who was talking and gracefully got off his chair and opened the glass door joining them in the hallway.  
“Seto, what's up?” He asked frowning. He immediately, knew something was wrong.  
“Something has come up Mokuba. I need you to stay in the building until I get back. There is an email on my laptop you can read if you want some clarity, otherwise wait for me and I'll explain later.” Kaiba said in a low growl.  
“I understand. How bad is it?” He asked but one look at Lara's face answered that question. “That bad. I'll wait for you.”  
“Good.” Kaiba replied.  
“Yugi has arrived.” Lara interjected looking at her phone.  
“We have to go.” He took one last look at Mokuba and left.

When Lara and Kaiba got to the ground floor, they found Yugi signing in. She went up to him and greeted him warmly before the imposing figure of Kaiba joined them.  
“Kaiba. How are you?”  
“Could be better. Let's go.”  
They walked out to the employee parking lot but since Kaiba had been driven to work in the town car they went to Lara's Audi instead. She handed her keys to Kaiba and climbed into the passenger seat. Yugi sat behind her as Kaiba adjusted everything to fit his tall frame.

He started the car up, the engine coming to life with a throaty grunt before settling into a low growl. Usually, this brought a smile to Lara's face. Her radio was never turned on before she left the garage just so she could bathe in the sounds of her mechanical ally. Today was different. All she could think of was that email.

Kaiba launched the car out of the garage and onto the road.  
“Guys what's going on?” Yugi asked. Lara looked at Kaiba who took a deep breath before he gave his answer.  
“There are some claims being made regarding you. That we are in fact family-”  
“What?” Yugi exclaimed in surprise.  
Kaiba continued as if he had not heard the interruption. “And following this, there are threats being made regarding our safety and yours. I need solid proof to show these claims are nonsense.” Kaiba finished.  
“What sort of threats?” Yugi asked.  
“Show him the email.” Kaiba told Lara, she handed over the printed email to him through the gap in the seats. His eyes went as round as saucers. He opened and closed his mouth several times, unable to get the words out. There were so many things running through his mind. How could Lara's own brother do this to her? But he had been there the last time when it was Leon in the firing line. But Kaiba being family?! That seemed ridiculous. He was brought out of his thoughts by the car coming to halt in front of a tall silver building.  
“Seto, are you ready for this?” Lara asked gently. “Seto?” Yugi thought. Now that he came to think of it, there seemed to be a quiet intimacy about them that he had not noticed earlier. He was glad for Kaiba but maybe this is what made Lara a target.

They got out of the car and walked into the building, riding the elevator up to the eleventh floor where they came to a door that read “Domino DNA Labs”. Yugi had a feeling this is what Kaiba meant by “solid proof” but now that he was here, his heart beat just a little faster. What if the claims were true? Surely his mother or grandfather would have told him.

Kaiba opened the door to an empty reception area and the other two filed in behind him.  
“Good afternoon. How can I help you sir?” The pleasant receptionist greeted.  
“I need a test done immediately.” Kaiba said curtly.  
“Yes sir. Please let me get one of the technicians.” She clearly knew who Kaiba was and his tone indicated that he would not appreciate being kept waiting. Lara barely managed to count to ten before she was back with an older gentleman in a white coat.  
“Good day Mr Kaiba.” He said shaking his hand. “Would you like to follow me to one of the consulting rooms?”  
They followed the man to a blandly furnished room with informative posters on the walls. They pulled in a third chair so they could all be seated. Lara sat in the middle with Yugi and Kaiba on either side.  
“How can I help you today?” The man said pleasantly.  
“I need a first a cousin test done.” Kaiba said bluntly.  
“Okay. Well I will need whomever is taking the test to fill in some paperwork, then I will take a buccal swab. The results are usually available in seven to ten days.” The technician immediately regretted saying that as he visibly wilted under the glare Kaiba had given him. “Though I'm sure we can move yours up the queue somewhat.”  
“Make sure you do.” Kaiba responded with a growl.

The technician handed the two clipboards to Kaiba who passed one over to Yugi. They quickly filled in the forms, Lara noticed that despite the speed at which Kaiba wrote, his cursive was actually pretty neat. He signed the bottom of the page and both Yugi and Kaiba handed the forms back. The technician then pulled on surgical gloves that snapped in place. He brought out four individually sealed packages which had the word “sterile” stickered on, it looked like a very long ear bud but Lara noticed the zigzag pattern on the swab.  
“I will be running the test twice so I need two samples from you both.” He informed. He started with Kaiba. He rolled the swab on the inside of Kaiba's cheek several times before carefully placing each inside a transport tube with a secure red lid. Next, he did the same for Yugi except the lid on his sample was green. The technician then took all four tubes and stuck labels onto each of them. The entire process was quick and fairly painless.  
“I will call you as soon as the results are in.”  
“Call her if you can't reach me.” Kaiba growled.  
“Yes sir.”

The three of them were soon back in the lift heading down. Lara held Kaiba's hand giving it a reassuring squeeze. As the doors opened, she tried to pull away but he would not let her, holding her hand firmly in his grasp as they walked towards the parking bay. They climbed into the car and drove off without a word. The entire drive back to Kaiba Corp. was silent. Each one of them caught up in their own thoughts. It was only after Kaiba parked Lara's car that he said anything at all.  
“Thank you Yugi.” He said gruffly.  
“I'll see you in a few days.” Yugi replied smiling weakly.  
He headed out to the roadside bays where his car was parked and headed home. Lara and Kaiba went up to his office to find Mokuba in his chair, looking through his laptop.  
“A lot of this is true.” Mokuba said quietly without looking up.  
“Yes.” Kaiba responded as he stood next to his brother.  
“So this could also be true. Yugi could be family.” He said in the same tone.  
“Possibly.”  
“You went to find out.” Mokuba stated.  
“Yes. We'll know soon.”  
“So it's possible that we could have had family.” Mokuba tore his eyes away from the screen and looked up at Kaiba. The raw emotion in his eyes, the anguish painted on his face, was gut-wrenching. Lara's hands balled into fists and she had to blink away tears.  
“Don't do that Mokuba.” Kaiba said in a warning tone.  
“You need to tell her.” Mokuba had a hard edge to his voice.  
“I'm going to.” Kaiba replied.  
“When?”  
“Tonight.”


	24. The Defining Moment

That night was the first time in a month that all three of them were home by seven. Kaiba had driven Lara to the mansion, he parked her car in the garage and quietly entered the house. There was a lot on his mind. So much he had to tell her, so much he did not want to tell her but knew he would have to. He tried to straighten out his thoughts in his head before he attempted this conversation.

They found Mokuba in the kitchen, finishing up his dinner while reading through some reports.

“Hey Mokes.” Lara greeted.

“Hi.” He greeted back without looking up. He sounded tired. Lara and Kaiba joined him at the kitchen counter and the maids quickly served up dinner. They ate in silence. Lara finished before Kaiba, placed her dishes in the sink and said she was going upstairs. She placed a kiss on Mokuba's head and left the brothers alone. She heard hushed tones from behind her and sighed. Hopefully she would get a better understanding of everything tonight.

She had a quick shower and slipped on her blue check pyjama bottoms and long sleeved dark blue top. It felt colder than usual but that could be the situation they found themselves in. She was sitting in bed, going through her emails when Kaiba came in.

He walked into the dressing room hanging up his coat, removed his tie and belt then neatly placed his shoes on the shelf and deposited his socks in the hamper. He undid the top button of his shirt and untucked it from his pants before joining Lara on the bed. She put her phone on silent and placed it on the bedside table giving him her undivided attention.

He took a deep breath before speaking, staring at the ceiling as he did so.

“There is a lot to discuss and I'm not sure where to start. I would have preferred telling you all of this under different circumstances, much later on, maybe even never, but it seems like the best idea for me to be completely transparent with you before Zigfried acts again.” His voice was devoid of emotion and Lara knew that was a mechanism to shield himself. He looked at her, staring into her green eyes before looking back at the ceiling. “Some of what you read was true but I suppose I should start at the beginning. I was five when Mokuba was born. From what I remember, we had a good life. There were complications with Mokuba's birth that resulted in the death of my mother. It was harder after that but my father tried his best. It was still a good home and he was a good parent. When I was eight, he was killed in an accident. That night changed our lives for good. I suppose it was all downhill from there.”

Lara turned her body so she was facing Kaiba, her eyes trained on his face. She leaned her head against the headboard waiting for him to continue.

“We were sent to live with some relatives, they were willing to take us in but only to squander our inheritance and we were dropped off at the orphanage once the money ran out.”

Lara kept still, simply listening to him speak. Her anger spiked as she heard how these innocent children were treated.

“We were there for a while, and I knew it was up to me to get us out. I saw my opportunity when Gozaburo Kaiba came to the orphanage for some publicity stunt. I challenged him to a chess match, which you already know about...” He looked at Lara who nodded in return. “Gozaburo kept his end of the bargain. Mokuba and I went to live with him but it was evident very quickly what he expected. I was an investment and he expected a return. I was forced into an accelerated learning programme and falling behind according to Gozaburo's standards so he took away everything I had.” Kaiba abruptly stopped speaking. She saw his jaw twitch and she could only imagine what was going through his mind. She laced her fingers around his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He looked at her, gripping her hand firmly.

“Seto, if it's too difficult to talk about now, you don't have to.” She said gently.

“No. I should tell you.” His voice was rough. It was obviously difficult for him to talk about.

“How can I make this easier?” Lara asked, desperate to ease his hurt somehow. Kaiba pulled her against his body and she laid her head on his chest. She was no longer able to see his face but she knew that was what he was asking for.

“He increased the hours of my study.” Kaiba began again. She could hear his deep voice resonate in his chest as he spoke. “I couldn’t see Mokuba much either. The one night he informed the butler that he would be overseeing my study session. He walked in with the switch crop and dog collar.” Lara stopped breathing. In an instant, she understood. Gozaburo was so much more than just a monster. “That was the first night I had to wear it. He was trying to show me that he was dominant. Show me my place. That's how I got the scar you asked me about. I was forced to wear it every day. It bit into my skin a little more with each passing day. Of course, I had to watch out for that switch as well. Mostly it was used on the books to get my attention, instil fear but yes, I was on the receiving end. This continued for a long time, Mokuba would sneak into my room at night to tend to my wounds. All the while Gozaburo got close to him. It made my skin crawl but if he tried to turn Mokuba against me, at least my brother would be safe. It was over this period that I met your brother. The day came when Gozaburo wanted to see how much I had learnt. He gave me an amount of money and said I had to return ten times the amount within a year. So, I bought controlling share of a company that afternoon and threatened to shut it down and leave its employees jobless if they didn't buy it back. They did and I was able to make the amount in practically a day. That's when the collar and switch came to an end. After that I approached Gozaburo with my virtual reality invention. He wanted to use it for his warmongering and I had to come up with a plan to take Kaiba Corp. away from the man so I used his board of directors and Mokuba.” Lara could hear the shame in his voice. “I convinced the board that they would be better off with me at the helm. I leaked the information that we were buying out forty-nine percent of the company and blamed Mokuba so that Gozaburo would think that he'd win. I knew Mokuba would never betray me. When it came to the vote Mokuba switched sides to me; that was the end of my adoptive father. He committed suicide after that and with me being his sole heir, I automatically inherited his shares. I, however, made sure that could never happen to me. Kaiba Corp. is mine.” He said defiantly and Lara could see everything he carried around with him. “We later found out that we had a step brother, Noah. He was unhinged, like his father. Thankfully, he is just as dead. I was adopted to motivate Noah to do better and after his car accident, Gozaburo focussed on me because his true heir was no longer worth his time. I was angry for a long time Lara. At the end of one of my tournaments I destroyed the last vestige of my stepfather's rule. Things felt better after I destroyed that tower.”

“A monument to your anger.” She said quietly.

“Yes. I moved forward. Diversified Kaiba Corp. We opened up a chain of amusement parks and hotels.” Lara looked up at Kaiba, his eyes were lifeless. He brushed away the tears that had fallen down her cheeks with his thumb. She had not realized she was crying.

“I'm sorry you had to go through all of that.” She said softly. She shifted position, holding Kaiba tightly and placing her head in the crook of his neck. “A lot of the info Zigfried has is true.”

“Yes.”

“Thank you for telling me all of this. I know it couldn't have been easy.” She whispered but Kaiba kept silent. She gave him one more squeeze and got off the bed, tugging on his arm. “Come on, we should be with Mokuba.” She smiled. She held Kaiba's hand behind her back as they walked down the passage to Mokuba's bedroom. She knocked at the door then opened it to find Mokuba sitting on his covers with earphones in his ears.

“Can we join you?” She asked.

“Sure.” He replied. He switched off his laptop and placed it on the floor. She clambered onto the bed and pulled Mokuba close. She put an arm around him as he lay his head on her shoulder. Kaiba joined them, sitting on the edge of the bed, resting his back against the pillows. Lara's left hand found Kaiba's right and she laced her fingers in his.

“Seto told me everything.” Lara told Mokuba.

“I'm glad you know.” He replied.

“Me too.”

“And I don't think he told you everything.” Mokuba said.

“Mokuba.” Kaiba growled.

“What do you mean?” Lara egged him on.

“I know my brother. He would only have told you the darkest things about him. He wouldn't have told you everything he went through protecting me. That first day at the orphanage, I sat outside on swings all day. Seto took me for a walk and gave me the worst pep talk ever.” He laughed without humour. “He was right though. We had to grow up and tears weren't going to help us. I was often bullied but he protected me even when it hurt him to. He protected me at Gozaburo's home as well. He probably told you about the leaked info, but he did that because he didn’t know if he would be successful in overthrowing Gozaburo, and it would keep me safe. He went through hell, all to give us a better life and keep the promise he made to me. At the orphanage, there were many people who wanted to adopt Seto but he never left because they didn't want me. That's who my brother is.”

“We're a team Mokuba.” Kaiba replied. Lara smiled warmly at Kaiba and kissed Mokuba's head.

“I know who your brother is.” She said tenderly to Mokuba. Kaiba watched Lara with Mokuba, this woman who by her own account had so much darkness in her, was bringing so much light in his and Mokuba's world. He would not stand to have the two people that he loved put in danger by anyone.

“I know you both have been through a lot together and it gets hard when you are burdened by so much horror, but know that I am here for both of you and I will help you carry all of this.” She said softly as Mokuba looked up at her. “I'm sorry for everything you've been through and I'm especially sorry for how my family has contributed. I promise I will never let Zigfried hurt either of you. Get some sleep Mokuba.” She kissed him on the forehead and left his room.

* * *

Time seemed to drag over the three days that followed. Kaiba was impossible and growing more so with each passing moment. He was on edge and had not yet heard anything from the lab which only worsened his mood. Everyone at Kaiba Corp. steered well clear, no one wanted to invoke the wrath of an angry Kaiba.

His bad mood did have some positives. The game that was behind schedule was nearing completion. Every member of the department was pulled in to assist. Everyone was working overtime to make sure they met their deadline because they knew with the mood Kaiba was in, their jobs were as good as gone if they failed.

Even Lara was staying out of his way. There was not much she could do to calm him down, only the DNA lab could do that at this point. Still, she stayed at the mansion so she could spend some time with Mokuba who, while still worried about his brother, was back to his usual self. Every night Kaiba came home to a sleeping Lara. He would pull her close, holding on to her possessively as he fell asleep. He would not admit it, but she was a huge comfort to him. Lara knew this but asked for no admission from him, she did not need one.

On the fourth morning Lara got in as early as she usually did. She continued working on the campaign for the latest game. All she needed was the confirmation that it would be ready for its release date. She was assisting the team that was in charge of the game as much as she could since the game development team had hampered them and the last thing Lara needed was for Kaiba to have another excuse to fire people. He was volatile right now, so she had to be the calm in this situation.

At six fifty-five her office phone rang.

“Lara.” She answered.

“Is something the problem this morning?” Kaiba asked flatly. She looked at her clock and realized what he was talking about.

“No, of course not. I'm coming up.” She hung up and took the stairs up to his office. She walked in to find that his mood had not improved an ounce. “Hey Seto.” She greeted.

“Your coffee is on my desk.” He said devoid of any emotion.

“Please don't do this. I was just trying to give you some space. It seems like you need it.” She replied evenly.

Kaiba sighed in response. “Lara-”

“I'm not asking for an explanation or apology. I understand.” She cut him off. “Would you like me to follow up with the lab?” She asked as she took her seat in front of him.

“Yes. I want to know what the hold-up is.”

Lara agreed to call as soon as they were open. She informed Kaiba on the progress with the marketing campaign for the last game to go out for the festive season. Kaiba was happy with her report. She drained her mug and sat it back down on the table.

“I best head get back to my work.” She said as she walked around his table to give him a kiss on his cheek. He pulled her down onto his lap kissing her deeply. Their lips broke apart and she rested her forehead against his. “We'll sort this out. You and I.” She kissed him lightly on the lips and left his office.

Lara watched the clock, waiting impatiently for nine a.m. She needed to know just as desperately as Kaiba and she could only imagine how Yugi felt. Eventually, her phone alarm buzzed to life telling her it was time to make the call. It took far too long for the receptionist to answer for her liking, she asked to speak to the technician that they had seen.

“Ms Schroeder, I was about to call.” The technician said.

“Are the results in?” Lara asked.

“Yes, they are. How soon can you come in?”

“Right now.” She replied in relief.

“Okay, I will call Mr Mutou.”

“Good. See you in a bit.” Lara hung up and immediately called Kaiba to inform him and in no time, all three of them were in Kaiba's car, flying towards the lab. Lara noticed Yugi's car in the parking bay and considering how quickly they got there, she realized that Yugi must be rather anxious too.

The receptionist showed them to the same blandly furnished room that they had been in before. Yugi was already seated and Mokuba sat next to him. The receptionist offered to get more seats but Lara and Kaiba refused, they were far too worked up to sit.

The technician walked in and sat behind the desk. Mokuba introduced himself, hiding any anxiety with absolute conviction.

“It's good to meet you.” The tech replied and Lara could feel Kaiba's impatience fueling his irritability. She held his hand and waited for the result. “I'm sure you all just want to know the result, so here it is. The test involves looking at sixty-eight markers, how many markers you have in common gives us a conclusive answer. When we look at DNA, we look for correlations to a certain percentage for instance, a parent and child will have a fifty percent match. Now first cousins will share a maximum of thirteen percent of their DNA. In your case Mr Kaiba and Mr Mutou, we have a thirteen percent match.”


	25. Cry "Havoc"!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: In celebration of Kaiba's birthday today, we get a new chapter! Happy Birthday Seto Kaiba

The weight of what the technician said fell on everyone in the room. Lara felt Kaiba's hand try to curl into a fist and she pulled him away from the others speaking softly so that only he would hear.

“Seto, you have to calm down.”

“Lara do you know what this means?” He hissed through gritted teeth.

“I do and maybe the three of us need to talk about it away from here.”

Kaiba nodded taking a deep breath to calm himself.

Kaiba took his copy of the results from the technician.

“Thank you for your time.” He said evenly and left the room. The others followed him out. “Yugi, we have much to discuss.”

“Yes, I agree.” Yugi said.

“Come to the mansion tonight.” Kaiba growled.

“Okay. See you guys later.”

The drive back to Kaiba Corp. was torturous. Lara could see Kaiba’s control slipping. He parked his car in the bay marked “CEO”, slamming the door as he climbed out. Lara and Mokuba exchanged worried glances as they followed him into the lift and up to his office. He stormed into his office and Mokuba gently closed his door before all hell broke loose.

Kaiba walked around his desk stiffly, breathing raggedly.

“Seto?” Lara said tentatively. Kaiba violently swiped the pen holder on his desk sending it flying, crashing against the wall, shattering and sending pieces of crystal and stationery flying in different directions. He slumped against his desk, resting his weight on his hands, gripping the wooden surface with his fingertips, making them turn white. He visibly shook at the weight of his anger.

“Seto.” Mokuba said softly as he stepped forward. Kaiba lifted his head to look at his brother who stood dead in his tracks at the look in his blue eyes. They were past anger, past pain. There were no words to describe the mixture of anguish, hatred and fury.

“Seto, I know.” Mokuba whispered as his eyes filled with tears. This was too much to bear. Lara had no comforting words. All she wanted to do was enfold both these brothers in her arms and never let them go. “You told me not to go there, you can’t either.”

“I know Mokuba.” His voice was strangled and rough. He sank into his chair, running his hands through his hair. Mokuba took a seat in front him and Lara moved to stand behind Mokuba, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He lifted his hand and placed it over her arms.

“Please don’t shut down on us Seto.” Mokuba pleaded. “This is big, we have family.”

“Nothing has changed Mokuba.” Kaiba’s voice was empty, lifeless.

“Everything has changed.” Mokuba said forcefully.

“The past is the past.” Kaiba replied.

“Yes, but maybe we can change our future and his.” Mokuba challenged but Kaiba said nothing. “It’s Yugi, Seto. Can you think of anyone better to call family? How must he feel right now? We have been around each other for years and only now to find something like this out… It isn’t fair but he is family now.”

“Mokuba, the people in this room are family. We stopped having family the day we went to that orphanage and don’t forget it.” Kaiba spat. Mokuba shook his head and they fell into a tense silence.

Lara pulled out the chair next to Mokuba and sat down taking his hand in her left and reaching out for Kaiba’s with her right. She coaxed him out of the fist that was threatening damage to everything near and held it tightly.

“You are both right.” Lara said gently. “The past can’t be changed, but Yugi has proven that he has nothing but respect for you both. He considers you both friends and what better foundation is there to start a relationship? It will take a long time to get used to this but now at least you know you aren’t alone. Seto, I understand your bitterness. You went through hell, but maybe we should hear why Yugi never knew his cousins.”

“I agree with Lara.” Mokuba said. Kaiba simply sighed in response. “Bro, you are the one who says, ‘the future is unlimited and the past is but a trace of a memory’. I think we need to work through the anger to see the future now. I know it isn’t easy, I was there with you.” Mokuba had such determination in his grey eyes. This revelation was naturally harder on the elder Kaiba, and he was going to be the strength his big brother needed.

Kaiba leaned back in his chair, pulling his hand out of Lara’s grip. He ran his hands over his face, staring at the ceiling. He had a lot of warring emotions right now and he knew Lara and Mokuba were right. He needed to get a grip, this is what Zigfried wanted, to mess with his head. Kaiba realized he had to think rationally and since Yugi was related, that would endanger him as well. He thought to himself that he was right when he was twelve; emotions got in the way and he had to put them aside now to see clearly.

He opened his eyes looking at Mokuba, seeing clearly for the first time in days.

“Mokuba.” His voice was strong and steady. “Call Yugi. Give him a time to be at the house.”

“Will do.” Mokuba smiled. He got off his chair to leave when Kaiba called his name.

“Mokuba wait.” Kaiba said getting off his chair. Mokuba turned around to face his big brother who pulled him into a hug. “Are you okay?” Kaiba asked.

“I am Seto.” He smiled and Kaiba released him.

“Good.” Kaiba replied. Mokuba left the office leaving Kaiba and Lara alone. He pulled her off her chair and held her back against his chest, wrapping his arms around her protectively and resting his head on her shoulder.

“Thank you.” He whispered.

“I just want to be here for you.” She said as she spun around to face him.

“I know.” He replied, leaning his forehead against hers with his fingers in her hair and his thumbs on her cheeks. It may have seemed like a small gesture, but this embrace felt like the most intimate one they had ever had. Lara loved this man so much it made her ache and it scared her, she could not bring herself to say the words out loud yet but she could show him that she did, and she would.

Lara and Kaiba arrived home in time to meet Yugi. Neither of them had the time to spare, and Zigfried had deliberately chosen this season to launch his attack because it would either hurt Kaiba’s company or his family. If he got lucky, it would affect both.

Lara went up to the bedroom dropping her handbag on the bed and pulling off her shoes. She deposited her watch on the bedside table and headed back downstairs barefoot, with her hair pulled into a loose ponytail but her blazer and suit pants were still in place.

She could hear voices coming from the dining room and found Mokuba sitting at the head of the long mahogany table with Kaiba on his left and Yugi on his right. Lara greeted Yugi as she sat next to him simply because it was closest to the doorway.

“Hi Yugi.” She said squeezing his arm.

“Hey Lara.” He greeted back. Lara found Yugi to be entirely endearing. She loved that he was a good friend to Mokuba, he had a goodness about him that made it easy to be in his company.

“How are you holding up?” She asked.

“I’m okay. I wish I could ask my mother or grandfather questions but since they have both passed I can’t really get any answers. Kaiba I have something for you.” Yugi passed a photo across the table to Kaiba who picked it up and looked at it with his mask of indifference still firmly in place but Lara noticed the change in his eyes. “When I went home, I looked through my mom’s old photo albums that were in storage. She never really took them out. I think I went through them once or twice when I was quite young. I thought you should have this. It’s the only one I found.”

“Thank you Yugi.” Kaiba said gruffly.

“What is it Seto?” Mokuba asked and Kaiba handed the picture over. A frown immediately appeared on Mokuba’s face. He looked between the picture and Kaiba several times.

“I saw the resemblance too.” Yugi said.

“What resemblance?” Lara asked and Mokuba slid the photo to her. There were two little girls standing side by side. One had round brown eyes and shoulder length dark brown hair, she had a kind face. Lara took one look at the other little girl and felt the air leave her body. She had long, straight, chestnut brown hair, a slightly angular face and perfect nose with the most amazing piercing blue eyes. If Lara had not known how old this photo was, she would have said that it was Kaiba’s daughter. The resemblance was striking. She was essentially the female version of him. Lara held in her hand, the only picture of Seto and Mokuba Kaiba’s mother.

“Wow.” She whispered to herself.

“My mother told me once that she did have a sister but they had had a falling out and never spoke again. She had no idea where she was and she didn't want to find her. I didn't know her name.” Yugi said.

“That would explain why you never knew you had cousins.” Mokuba stated.

“Yeah. But I wish I knew. Maybe things would have been different.” Yugi said looking at his hands.

“That won't help anything Yugi.” Kaiba growled.

“I agree with Seto. We need to decide what to do from here.” Mokuba said.

“Unfortunately, you've been dragged into this by Zigfried. You are in as much danger as any of us at this table Yugi.” Kaiba said.

“I understand that but what I don't understand is why Zigfried is doing this.” Yugi replied.

“Well, partly because of me.” Lara sighed. She told Yugi everything that had happened, from the fake lead in Germany to the point she received the threat. “You have to understand Yugi, there is a lot of history here; not just between my brother and I but between the Kaibas and the Von Schroeders.”

“I'll help in any way that I can.” Yugi said kindly.

Lara's phone began vibrating against the table, the buzzing diverted everyone's attention to the little device that flashed Zigfried's name. Lara did not want to answer but knew she had to. She took a deep breath and placed the call on loudspeaker.

“What do you want?” She answered

“Now Lara, is zat anyvay to answer your brozer's call? Fazer would not be happy.” He said in a sing song tone.

“Well father is dead.” She said harshly.

“My my, you are in a testy mood. Vell, I suppose it might be my fault.” He chuckled.

“Why have you called? Other than to nauseate me.” Lara said acrimoniously.

“I just vanted to tell you zat I found some sings.”

“What things?”

“Sings zat fazer kept hidden. You ver his favourite. Did you know? Must be nice. You didn't have to be a genius like me. I must say zat I'm disappointed in fazer. Zer ver ozer sings too. Let's read zis one first.

_My dearest Katarina, I am so happy to have a daughter, she vill be as beautiful as her mozer. I am sorry I vos not able to be zer but I promise I vill take care of her. Sank you for naming her after yourself like I asked. I vill visit as soon as I can. Koen_.

Zat must have been hard to hear Lara. Let's read anozer.

_My love, sank you for ze pictures of our Lara. It's hard to belive zat she is already a year old. I agree, she is smart, she vill have ze world one day..._

You ver smart? I sink fazer had a sense of humour, no? Anozer one zen.

_My Katarina, Vy did you buy zat car? It vorries me zat you like speed so much. Be careful when you have Lara viz you. I love you both very dearly. I'm sorry zat I voz not at her birsday but I vill be viz you in a week. I can't vait to see Lara, my perfect child. I'm touched zat you asked about Zigfried. He is very smart, maybe even a genius but he is an awful child. I often find him unbearable but maybe he vill grow out of it. See you soon my love. Koen._ ”

“Why are you doing this?” Lara asked with a steely edge to her voice. Her eyes shone with unshed tears and her throat burned.

“Because my dear sister, I can.” Zigfried said cruelly. Kaiba was furious and motioned for Lara to hand him the phone but she refused. “Oh look, zer is one unopened letter. Zis one looks good.

_Vy Katarina? Vy did you buy zat car? I told you not to speed so much! How must I live vizout you? Vot is Lara going to do vizout you? I promise I vill look after her, keep her safe. Please vatch over her. I am sorry I wronged you, ve should have been togezer. Till we meet again my darling Katarina._

Maybe fazer did meet her again. Who knows? You know Lara, it's no surprise mozer didn't like you. You tried I suppose but mozer saw zat I vos superior to you in every way. She vood like to speak to you.”

Lara steadied herself, taking deep calming breaths. She knew all Zigfried and his mother wanted to do was to inflict as much pain as they could. If they planned on harming any of the people in that room, they were going to try and do it in the cruellest way they knew how.

The silence on the phone was quickly filled by the highly accented voice of Zigfried's mother.

“Lara.”

“Annette.” Lara replied acidly.

“So now you finally know what your father was.” Annette said cruelly.

“I have always known who my father was. His good and bad. And as far as I remember, I apologized to you for what they did.” Lara said evenly.

“I didn't need the apology of some mistake. A slut, just like her mother.” Annette seethed. “Don't think I don't know about your history. Does Kaiba know?” Annette said tauntingly.

“Annette.” Lara warned.

“He doesn't, does he?”

“You know what? Go right ahead. There's nothing to tell.”

“And you think a long line of conquests isn't something Kaiba would find repulsive?” Annette was getting on Lara's nerves. The accented voice did not help things either.

“Long line of conquests?” Lara laughed.

“Everyone knows what you're like.”

“By everyone you mean yourself and your gossip mongers. Look, don't try to sell this ridiculous notion when we both know you started the rumours. You really are an idiot.” Lara laughed mirthlessly.

“I'm an idiot?!” Annette screamed. “You know you are coming out of this just like Koen and your mother!”

“Ah, so that is your plan. Good luck with that. I think you'll find it's harder than you think to kill me.” Lara said with a smile.

“Lara.” Zigfried had obviously taken the phone back. “You really know to get under mozer's skin but no worries.”

“Zigfried answer me one question. Why? We were civil as kids. I rescued the company without challenging your power so why do all of this?”

“Because Lara, you came into our home and I could never do anysing right for fazer. Do you know vot it was like to have you shoved in my face all ze time?! You ver not special. I realized I had to get rid of fazer for us to progress but again you became a pain in my side. I admit, you helped Schroeder Corp. but vonce it vos running like I vanted, I could finally erase fazer's mistake for our family. Family is interesting, no? It's so easy to control one. Like I can control yours ven I say you vill be coming to Berlin.”

“Really?” Lara deadpanned. “And why is that?”

“Because if you don't, I vill hurt Mokuba and Yugi and Herr Kaiba last so you can vatch.”

“Zigfried, don't make threats to me. If I come to Berlin you will regret it.” Lara hissed.

“You're feisty Lara. Zis time you're outplayed.” Zigfried hung up.

Everyone looked at Lara. She spun her phone on the table, trying to think of a way around Zigfried's threats.

“He's desperate. He knows he can't get the company back and the trial has started badly. He's out for vengeance any way he can have it.” She looked up catching Kaiba's eye.

“No.” He said forcefully. “You are not going.”

“One for the safety of three? I prefer that.” She said plainly.

“I won't let you.” He growled.

“It's not a matter of letting me Seto. If you are here, you can protect Mokuba and Yugi. If I go to Berlin, we have a better chance of keeping our family safe.” Lara said, her voice was rising slightly.

“You know that's a one-way trip. You know what they want to do.” Kaiba said, his eyes flashed dangerously.

“Don't underestimate me. I can handle myself.” She shot back.

“I don't doubt that Lara.” Kaiba said enunciating every syllable.

“I have to do this!” She practically shouted.

“No one is asking you to!” He shouted back. Mokuba and Yugi leaned away from the table, away from the two ferocious tempers that were battling. “I'm not going to let you martyr yourself!”

“Seto he is my brother! I have to end this!”

“Since when is it 'I'?” He fired at her.

“Since the moment Zigfried asked me to go back! I won't risk your lives!”

“But you'll risk yours?!” He spat.

“Yes! In a heartbeat!” She fired back.

“Why?!” He yelled.

“Because you are my life! I wouldn't survive anything happening to you or Mokuba! Is this so hard to believe?!”

“No! But you are NOT going alone!” He roared defiantly.

“Seto!”

“Don't 'Seto' me! I'm going with you!”

“Why won't you just let me go?! I can protect you!” Lara yelled.

“I won't lose you!” Kaiba was on his feet with his hands planted on the table.

“It could keep everyone safe! Why won't you just let me do this?!” She yelled, slamming her hand against the table with a bang and pushing herself to her feet.

“BECAUSE I LOVE YOU DAMMIT!” Kaiba bellowed. His voice reverberated around the walls. The room was silent. Kaiba and Lara had forgotten that Mokuba and Yugi were still at the table. Mokuba slapped his forehead in exasperation.

“This is why I say talk.” Mokuba said simply making Lara's and Kaiba's head snap in his direction to glare at him.

Kaiba and Lara were breathing heavily. She was floored by Kaiba's last outburst. She sighed and hung her head. She walked around the table to Kaiba and pulled him into a hug. She stood on tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck. He pulled her close with one arm around her waist and one around her back, burying his head in the crook of her neck.

“I'm sorry.” She whispered so only he could hear.

Yugi looked away, uncomfortable to be intruding on this intimate moment. Lara pulled away first but held onto Kaiba's hand. She pulled out the chair that was next to Kaiba and they both sat down. Lara realized that there was no way she would be going without Kaiba, she would only anger him further if she tried to convince him otherwise.

“If you and I go, there's no way you can take your men. We'll be in another country and still need to look innocent.” Lara said softly.

“I realize that.” Kaiba responded.

“So just you and I.” She said. Kaiba nodded.

“Mokuba, you are in charge of Kaiba Corp. while we are away. You need to choose, you either stay here or at the office. You can't leave until I tell you to.” Kaiba said gruffly.

“That's tough. I mean if all three of us aren't at the office, people will notice but here I can get work done and still keep an eye on you guys.”

“My study line is secure.” Kaiba stated.

“Yeah, plus the panic room is there.”

“Panic room?” Yugi repeated wide eyed.

“Yeah. Seto had one put in a few years ago just in case something was to happen. I'll stay here.” Mokuba decided.

“Yugi will have to stay as well.” Lara said.

“I agree.” Kaiba drawled.

“Guys, what about the others? Zigfried said he would come after us which includes Yugi. He could control Yugi by using the guys against him.” Mokuba mused.

“The more people are here, the less secure the house is Mokuba.” Kaiba growled.

“That's true Seto, but I think Mokuba has a point. It's only four other people. Yugi, do you think you could get them to understand the situation? You guys cannot even go outside until Seto and I give you word.” Lara said.

“Yes. The house goes on lock down.” Kaiba stated.

“They would listen.” Yugi replied.

“Mokuba, you know what to do. You have Roland and the team.” Kaiba said to his brother.

“Consider it done.” Mokuba replied.

They chatted about their plans, all the while Lara had the conversation with Zigfried playing over and over in her head. That's when she realized where the information had come from.

“Things he kept hidden.” Lara said softly with a faraway look in her eyes.

“What?” Kaiba looked at her curiously.

“That's what Zigfried said. All this information, he got it from my father.” Lara said with a smile. It was clear the others thought that she had lost her mind. “When I was younger I would sit in my father's office while he worked. I once saw him put something into a thick hardcover book that looked really old and he told me that we were never to touch it. I never told anyone about the hollowed-out book in his study. Don't you see? Things my father kept hidden where in that book. That's what Zigfried found. My father's letters, all that info on the Kaibas. Papa did get info off Gozaburo's system before.”

“And Gozaburo would have collected as much info on Mokuba and me before we arrived. He would definitely keep things from us, he wanted us to feel trapped so he could have power over us.” Kaiba added to Lara's thoughts.

“It's Gozaburo's fault that we didn't know about Yugi.” Mokuba said as if it left a bad taste in his mouth.

“Lara, we leave tomorrow.” Kaiba said forcefully.

“Sounds like a plan.” Lara replied.

“Yugi I'll show you to the guest room. I'll arrange with Roland to bring some of your stuff over tomorrow morning.” Mokuba said.

“Thanks, Mokuba.” Yugi replied with a smile.

It was late when they had all retired for the night. The house was cast in darkness. The only light came from Kaiba's bedside lamp. He had his head propped up on his arm and Lara lay facing him. He held her close with his sheets covering their bare hips.

“So tell me something.” Kaiba said. “What did Annette want me to know?”

Lara groaned. “It’s not a very interesting story.”

“Tell me anyway.” He growled.

“There were rumours about my loose morals that Annette perpetuated. Honestly, my longest relationship was with my vibrator.” She laughed. “I had four relationships if you can call them that. One in the states, one in England and two in Germany. I felt nothing real for them, it was almost purely physical. A release if you will.”

“I see.”

“Do you think worse of me for that?” She asked.

“Of course not. I’m insulted that you would ask me that.” He said in a low voice.

“As long as you know that I’m no girl scout.” She said.

“Please. There’s nothing innocent about you.” He scoffed and she laughed.

“I'm sorry about earlier Seto. I just can't bear the thought of anything happening to you both.” Lara whispered.

“When are you going to realize that I feel the same?” Kaiba replied.

“How did I get so lucky?” Lara smiled.

“No idea.” Kaiba smirked cockily. He pressed his lips to hers, invading her mouth with his tongue. His kisses were the panacea for all her troubles. He pulled away to switch off the light, plunging them into darkness. Kaiba held Lara close knowing that the next day could be hell. He could handle whatever came next but he would make sure that Zigfried could not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted Yugi and Kaiba to be related because Priest Seto and Atem were cousins what with Akhenaden and Akhenamkhanen being brothers. The issue was that I didn't want to use a father connection because that would mean that Kaiba's initial surname would have been Motou and he would remember that. So then I remembered, a few years ago I read somewhere (think it was 9gag) that Yugi and Kaiba's mothers were sisters and I thought that was perfect! So there we go, an explanation in case anyone was wondering lol.
> 
> The title was inspired by Anthony’s dialogue “Cry Havoc and let slip the dogs of war”. I just thought they are essentially marching into battle with Zigfried.


	26. Instructions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Can you believe it?! Two chapter in one week! I hope you guys enjoy :)

Lara and Kaiba were up early the next morning finalising their plans. They were dressed and ready to leave with a small carry-on bag each and Kaiba’s silver attaché in hand. They were then informed by Roland that the plane was on the tarmac and ready to go wheels up. Mokuba and Yugi were waiting for them in foyer, both had anxious looks on their faces.

Mokuba approached his brother and Lara noticed his Adam’s apple bob up and down, he did not say anything.

“Mokuba, you know what to do.” Kaiba said gruffly.

“I do. I hope you know what you’re doing.” He replied softly.

“I was just thinking the same thing.” He smirked. For the second time in two days Lara witnessed Kaiba embrace his brother. He pulled away and addressed Yugi.

“Yugi, do as Mokuba says. Make sure your little friends do as well.” Kaiba growled.

“You have my word Kaiba.” Yugi replied.

Kaiba grabbed both bags and walked out to the car. Lara walked up to Mokuba who enfolded her in his arms.

“Be safe Lara. Please take care of my big brother.” He whispered.

“I promise. You won't have to tend to another wound again.” She whispered back.

“I don't think that will ever be true.” Mokuba smiled. He kissed the top of her head and released her. She gave Yugi a quick hug and headed out after Kaiba.

Roland brought the car to a stop at the private hangar. Their bags were taken inside the plane but Kaiba waited at the car, holding Lara’s hand in his vice like grip until Roland returned.

“Roland.” Kaiba growled. “You make sure they stay safe.” His voice promised pain if anything went wrong. Roland recognised the warning in his tone.

“Yes sir.” Roland responded.

Kaiba turned on his heel, striding to the plane with Lara in tow. She followed him up the stairs and into the much smaller but far more luxurious plane than one they usually travelled in. Kaiba strode through the plane to the lounge area at the rear and pulled her down to join him on the long cream coloured couch. He held her against his body, wrapping a protective arm around her.

The door was closed as soon as they were seated and within minutes they were up in the air, the sunshine streamed in through the windows. Lara absently ran her finger along the words “Global 8000” on the shutter of her window. This was going to be a long flight.

Kaiba turned slightly so that her back was against his chest, holding her in place with his strong arms.

“You’re worried.” Lara stated.

“Aren’t you?” He responded in his low voice.

“Of course I am.” She replied. “He’s never used methods like this before. Usually he gets others to do his dirty work so he can come out smelling like roses. Usually his plans involve some sort of digital aspect. None of this is his style and that’s the most worrying thing. It’s out of character so he’s unpredictable. I like planning. I like being able to see the patterns and predict outcomes but I can’t do that now. There’s no safety net.” She turned around to face Kaiba.

“There’s nothing that he can do that we can’t deal with.” Kaiba said.

“Yes, there is. He could hurt you or Mokuba… I couldn’t deal with that.”

Kaiba placed a finger under her chin, lifting her head so that she was looking straight into his blue eyes.

“No one will hurt any of us. I’ll make sure of that.” He said resolutely.

“Do you know how much you mean to me? Both of you.”

“I have an idea.” He replied.

* * *

Mokuba paced the living room, waiting to hear the sound of the car tyres crunch against the gravel. He had absolute faith in Roland but the fact that Kaiba and Lara were already hours into their flight and the others had not yet arrived had him on edge.

It felt like eons before he heard the car pull up. He instructed the maid to open the door immediately, keeping in mind that Kaiba would not want him anywhere near open doors or windows now that the threat was very real. When Mokuba was younger, he always thought that Kaiba over-reacted when it came to his safety, but as he grew older he could clearly see the method to Seto’s madness.

He waited for everyone to be ushered inside, the door to be closed and the alarm re-armed before he stepped out into the foyer.

“Hey guys.” He greeted.

“Mokuba.” Joey greeted back boisterously. “What’s up with sending the goons?”

“Yeah. Roland just came around and told us to pack quickly and that we had to leave.” Tea added.

“I think you guys should come through to the lounge so I can explain everything.” Mokuba said. He then called the butler. “Please have all the luggage taken up to the guest rooms on the east wing.” He instructed. The butler bowed and Mokuba joined the others in the lounge. They were already chatting to Yugi. Mokuba sat on the single seater couch and crossed his legs ankle over knee. He ran his finger along his bottom lip trying to arrange his thoughts and in that moment, he never looked more like Seto Kaiba’s brother.

“Let me try to make this as concise as possible but I do need to start at the beginning. We met Lara when she escaped from some goons that had kidnapped her. Seto and I helped her, we found out pretty quickly that her brother, Zigfried had arranged it. He wanted to eliminate her in Domino so people would suspect my brother. He wanted to weaken Kaiba Corp. It didn’t work, Lara went back to Germany and found that Leon was involved as well except he didn’t know the full extent of Zigfried’s plan and was deceived as well. Lara asked us to help her exact her revenge but with a great result for us if it worked.”

“Buying Schroeder Corp.” Tea interjected.

“Yes. You see Zigfried and his mother had Lara’s father killed. So Seto agreed to help and the buyout has gone well. In August Zigfried was kicked off the board... lost his job. A few months later he tried to come at us but Lara and Seto hatched a plan to keep us safe which worked until now. He has some information that we found out to be true. It turns out our stepfather had dug it up and Lara’s father probably got it off Gozaburo after a hack. Anyway, it turns out that Yugi is family.” Mokuba looked at Yugi, ignoring the collective gasp in the room.

“Say what?! You and rich boy?!” Joey exclaimed at Yugi.

“Yes Joey. Just let Mokuba finish.” Yugi replied.

“It turns out that Yugi's mother and our mother were sisters but they were estranged. My mother died giving birth to me, Yugi was three at the time so he would never have known. Anyway, Zigfried knows this and has threatened Yugi, Seto, Lara and I.” Mokuba finished.

“So why are we here?” Mai asked.

“Because we don't know what Zigfried is planning. If he wants to hurt Yugi or me, all he has to do is come after you guys. That's why Seto asked me to make sure everything is sorted on this side while he and Lara go to Germany to put an end to Zigfried's plans.”

“What threats has he made Mokuba?” Tristan asked.

“Do you really have to ask Tristan? But it's Seto and Lara I'm most worried about. He wants to hurt her as badly as possible. He said wants to hurt Seto and make her watch.” Mokuba said softly.

“Rich boy can be pretty ruthless. Why doesn’t he just take care of it like last time?” Joey asked.

“Because Ziegfried's a loose cannon now. He has nothing to lose and if we go after him in the same way, he will retaliate as badly. If not worse.”

“Why is he being so specific about what he wants to do to them?” Tea asked. “I mean with the rest of us it's just kill 'em and be done with it...”

“Because he knows that Seto and Lara love each other.” Mokuba informed.

There was a collective “Oh.” from the group.

“Who would have thought we'd see the day Kaiba was in love.” Tea mused.

* * *

Lara sat on the cream leather seat at the polished wood table, staring into nothingness as the thoughts of everything that has happened played on her mind. She had come such a long way from tumbling out of that van and now, here she sat, waiting to end this war once and for all. She always knew this day would come but now that it had, she was worried. She had something to lose now. She never had that before. She never once thought she would find love, let alone a love as extraordinary as the one she had with Kaiba. She always struggled with the concept of love, it had always been hard to say the words and since saying it to Leon, she had not spoken them. He broke that part of her and it angered her that he had the power to do that.

Kaiba watched her keenly. He was worried too, just as worried as he had been every time Mokuba was in danger as a child. He watched as rays of sunlight caught Lara’s black hair making it shine, as it kissed her skin turning it lighter than it already was, as it reflected in her green eyes making them look almost ethereal. This woman with her immense beauty, sharp wit, extreme intelligence and cunning mind, was his; and he protected what was his.

“What's on your mind?” He asked in his typical way, pulling her from her thoughts.

A delicate smile graced her features. “I was just thinking how far I've come. From that first day I met you to now, a lot has changed. You threatened to leave me at the hotel if you didn't like my answers.” She laughed at the thought.

“But I didn't. I don't make many mistakes.” He smirked.

“Mr Kaiba, do you have an infinite pool of cockiness?” She teased.

“You would know.” He growled.

“Oh, I do.” She winked. She got off her seat and re-joined him on the couch. “Seto I don't know what's going to happen in the hours and days to come but I want you to know that I'm eternally grateful that I got to meet you and Mokuba and be a part of your family.”

“Lara.” He growled angrily. “No one is dying.”

“I hope not, but if the worst should happen, I want you to know that.”

He turned his head away, refusing to look at her. She grasped his face in her hands and forced him to look at her.

“You have to know that.”

“I do.” His eyes were blazing. “Understand this, I am not losing another member of my family.”

It was not long before the plane touched down. Kaiba and Lara swiftly exited the plane with their bags in tow, she led the way to a small counter in the airport where she retrieved a set of car keys. She wrapped her fingers around them, smiling to herself. She caught Kaiba looking at her.

“This is my baby.” She laughed a delicate chime. He shook his head as they walked to the parking bay that held her car.

“Your tastes are rather singular.” Kaiba teased when he saw the charcoal Audi RS7.

“Why change perfection?” She smirked. They climbed in and she roared off in the direction of her apartment. “I bought this one first, it was so much fun to drive. I really missed it when I was away from her.”

“Her?”

“Every car is a 'her' Seto.” She rolled her eyes. “I had to get one in Domino. Anyway, there is a company here that does long term storage of vehicles. They make sure the cars are looked after and they deliver them to an address you specify. These guys really are the best.” She took a deep breath, her car never lost that new car smell that she worked so hard to keep. She loved driving, it took her mind off things for a little while no matter how bad they were.

They arrived at Lara's Berlin residence. It was not a very tall building with its ten floors but it was interesting in shape with its geometric design and triangular balconies. She parked the car next to a silver Porsche 911 GT2. Kaiba cocked his eyebrow up in appreciation of it.

“It's mine.” Lara smirked as she got out of the car. “I asked them to drop it here.” They retrieved their bags and headed into the building.

“Hello Ms Schroeder.” She was greeted by the doorman. “Something was left for you.”

“Thank you.” She smiled kindly as she took the envelope from him. Lara and Kaiba stepped into the lift and ascended to the eighth floor where Lara opened the door to reveal her spacious apartment bathed in afternoon sunlight. Kaiba stepped in after her and locked the door behind him. He took a look at her apartment. It had an entirely open plan living area with light coloured hardwood floors. It was modern with clean lines and was much bigger than the apartment she currently lived in.

Lara opened up the envelope to find an invoice and a black pouch that held her car key.

“Seto.” She called. He turned around and she tossed the key to him which he effortlessly caught. “Just in case you need a car. Just don't bend it.” She warned playfully.

Lara removed all the white sheets that covered her furniture and in no time the apartment looked like home again.

* * *

It was long after nine p.m. when Mokuba's phone buzzed to life, it was Kaiba and relief coursed through his body.

“Hey Seto.” Mokuba answered.

“Mokuba, is everything okay?” Kaiba asked.

“Yes. The guys are here. I explained everything to them and they understand.”

“Good.”

“How's Lara?” Mokuba asked.

“She's fine. Mokuba, I need you to keep an eye on the trackers. I will activate them, make sure everything is being recorded to our home server only. I'll message you when they are activated.”

“Sure bro.”

“We'll speak soon.” Kaiba hung up.

“ _Be careful big brother.”_ Mokuba whispered to the cell phone in his hand. He decided to check on the others, he told himself that he wanted to make sure they were okay but mostly he wanted the warmth of company and his work could not provide that.

None of them were in their rooms so he descended the staircase silently and heard voices coming from the kitchen.

“What a crazy situation.” He heard Tea say.

“Well, Kaiba's a bit of a cold bastard but Mokuba is pretty cool.” Tristan said. Mokuba walked in at that moment. They all stopped talking at once.

“It's fine guys.” Mokuba said. “There isn't anything I haven't heard you say about my brother.” He said tiredly.

“We know he's a good guy Mokuba.” Yugi said kindly and Mokuba smiled.

“Guys, I know Seto is difficult to be around but maybe one day you'll get to see him like I do. You should see him around Lara.” Mokuba chuckled.

“Yeah Mokuba's right.” Yugi said. “He's different; calmer.”

“Except last night.” Mokuba said looking at Yugi.

“Does that happen often?” Yugi asked.

“No. Last night was a first, but they are both hot headed.” Mokuba shrugged.

“What happened last night?” Tea asked.

Mokuba pulled the tub of ice cream away from her, taking a large spoonful into his mouth. He handed the tub back to Tea and told them the tale of the night before. It felt good to talk. Mokuba was wound so tight he thought he may snap. He had no idea what was happening in Germany and the waiting was going to kill him.

“Typical Kaiba.” Tristan laughed at the end of Mokuba's story.

“I still don't get it.” Mai said in her superior tone.

“What don't ya get Mai?” Joey asked.

“Kaiba and Lara. He could have his pick of anyone but he chose her.” She replied.

“Don't be like that Mai.” Joey responded.

“You know, I know her better than any of you. Everyone has their opinion of her, the business world loves her because she's great at her job, the media loves her because she knows how to work them, her family detests her because she's better than them but I get to see every side to her. The side that sat with Seto and I when she found out about our past, the side that loves fiercely, her protective side, her childish side, her insecure side, the vengeful side, the side hidden from everyone because she doesn't want anyone to know her pain. I've seen her compassion, her anger, her intelligence. If you knew her half as well as I do, you'd change your opinion. A little while before Seto's birthday, the two of us went to the park, just for a walk during lunch. There was this little kid there bawling their eyes out. Lara went to the little boy who had become separated from his parents and got him to stop crying, she promised she would help him find them. She bought him an ice cream cone and spent almost an hour looking for this kid's family. When she found them, she turned from the little kid's angel into an absolute dragon, berating the parents for losing their child. She had held up a meeting for almost an hour because she refused to leave that kid with anyone but who they were meant to be with. She worked late that night to make up the lost time but that was also the day I saw how much family meant to her.”

“People do nice things all the time Mokuba.” Mai said.

“They do, but no one does that and refuses to let anyone know what they did. Those managers complained to Seto about her tardiness, I explained to him what had happened. She's a gem and the only reason you don't like her, Mai, is because you feel threatened.” Mokuba said bluntly.

“What?!” Mai exclaimed, shocked.

“Just admit it so everyone can move on and not worry about a petty issue.” Mokuba said.

“I just don't trust a Schroeder. And everyone goes on about her intelligence, such a genius in her field. I mean really...”

“You have not seen her work. Lara is amazing. She's not a genius like Seto or Zigfried, but do some reading on Schroeder Corp. and you'll see what I mean.” Mokuba smiled.

“So, do you think we'll hear wedding bells?” Tea gushed.

“Oh, I know my brother, he's never letting her go.” Mokuba answered.

* * *

Lara and Kaiba were contemplating their next move, trying to find way of anticipating anything that Zigfried might do. They chatted into the night, fairly confident that they could handle him. The only thing that nagged at them was Mokuba being so far away. Roland kept Kaiba updated to the movements of the men and when the guards had begun their watch. They were exhausted and knew they had to rest well if they were to be of any use the next day. Lara was about to take a shower when her phone beeped to life. It was a text from Zigfried.

“ _How good to have you in my town. That's a nice new plane Herr Kaiba has. Lara you will come to the house tomorrow, alone. Don't disobey me, poor Mokuba and his friends will suffer if you do. That house isn’t as impenetrable as you think”._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The story about the kid in the park that Mokuba relays to everyone was actually going to be in one of my chapters but I didn't like the way it fit so I decided to include it here. I think it works better this way.


	27. Zigfried's Threat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another week, another chapter... I'll be switching POVs a fair amount, just a heads up. Enjoy?

A faraway sound kept trying to call Mokuba. It seemed to be getting louder and louder as he moved from his dream state to wakefulness. He realized his phone was ringing, it was Kaiba's tone. He immediately reached over to his right, picking up the phone, noticing it was four am.

“Seto?” He answered groggily.

“Mokuba get into the panic room immediately.” Kaiba's voice was urgent and left no room for argument. Mokuba was instantly awake.

“Got it. Roland?” Mokuba asked, reflecting his brother's tone.

“I'm communicating with him. Do not use the radios. Do not speak to anyone but me.” Kaiba instructed.

“I understand.” Mokuba replied and the line went dead. He flung his covers off, grabbed a grey t-shirt which he quickly pulled over his maroon pyjama bottoms, slipped his phone into his pocket and raced out of his room to the get everyone up.

He first stopped at Yugi's room, not bothering to knock before he barged in.

“Yugi!” Mokuba whispered loudly while shaking him.

“Mokuba?” Yugi replied sleepily rubbing his eyes.

“We have to move. Now!” Mokuba ordered. Yugi jumped out of bed, picked up his phone and made to leave but Mokuba stopped him. “No, leave your phone here. Only mine goes in.” Yugi reluctantly agreed.

The two of them went through to the other rooms quietly waking Mai, Joey, Tristan and Tea. Mokuba led them down the passage towards the study.

“Why are we walking in the dark. Shouldn't we switch on a light at least?” Mai asked.

“No. Keep the lights off. We can't show any sign of movement in the house.” Mokuba responded. Everyone followed him into the study.

“Stand by those bookshelves.” He instructed as he walked around the large desk illuminated by the cold blue-white light of his laptop which he picked up off Kaiba's table. He made sure the blinds were tightly shut before making his way to the bookshelves the others were standing at. He pulled out a book called _“Also Sprach Zarathustra”_ and pressed the little button that the book had hidden. He immediately placed the book back in it's place and the bookshelves swung forward revealing an open doorway.

“Get in.” Mokuba ordered. Everyone obeyed, quickly entering the cold chamber. Mokuba walked in last, he turned to his right where an iris scanner was located. He peered into the lens then pressed his thumb against the little rectangular plate illuminated in green. The bookshelves quietly moved into place and a steel door closed with a soft hiss. The small room they found themselves in was instantly lit in bright white light making everyone squint slightly before they adjusted to their surroundings. The room had an impressive three screen computer set up on the far right side of the room. The three thirty-eight inch monitors sat side by side on a slightly raised platform, a keyboard with blue backlit kit keys glowed in front of the monitors with a large black mouse on the right side. The back wall was lined with cupboards and shelves of varying sizes with two single seater and one double seater couch around a coffee table. At the left end, there was a king size bed against the wall with a single bedside table. Everyone took a look around and Tristan whistled through his teeth.

“This is something man.” He said impressed.

“Yeah, it's the basics to get us through if we have an emergency.” Mokuba said as he took his seat at the pc. He connected his laptop to the network using the wired connection and loaded the program for the trackers that Kaiba had activated. He pulled up Lara's and Kaiba's trackers on to separate screens, making sure he was able to monitor them both at the same time. He turned his chair to face the others.

“You have no idea how many people want you gone when your surname is 'Kaiba'.” Mokuba shrugged.

“I can imagine.” Tristan said.

“It's rather cold in here.” Tea complained.

“Yeah, sorry. It's because of the servers.” He pointed to the ventilated metal structure in the corner. “There should be an extra pillow and blanket in one of those cupboards. Please try to get some rest. I have work to do.”

“What's going on Mokuba?” Yugi asked.

“We're being watched. I don't know who it is or where they are.” Mokuba replied.

“How do you know we're being watched then?” Tristan asked.

“My brother said not to use the radios and to communicate with him only. He suspects something. Radio frequencies aren't secure.”

The others decided to take Mokuba's advice and get some sleep. Tea, Mai and Joey climbed into bed, Tristan lay on the couch but Yugi stayed up. He sat on the single seater watching Mokuba and the two blinking red dots on the screen.

* * *

Lara tiredly poured strong black coffee into two mugs. She placed one in front of Kaiba on the dining table and took her seat opposite him. She wrapped her hands around the hot porcelain vessel and watched as Kaiba placed his phone to his ear, waiting for Roland to answer. It took him two extra rings which annoyed an already worried and angry Kaiba.

“Mr Kaiba, sir?” Came Roland's usual frantic response.

“Roland!” Kaiba barked. “You answer immediately when I call. Someone is watching the house.”

“That's not possible sir. I checked myself. All's clear.”

“Then the devils are inside the walls.” Came Kaiba's menacing voice. “Someone is feeding Zigfried information. Find them.”

“Yes sir!” Roland replied and Kaiba ended the call. He tossed his phone onto the table and ran his fingers through his hair. He was exhausted, but he needed to make sure Mokuba was entirely safe before he could get any rest.

* * *

Mokuba had not yet heard from his brother and was starting to worry. He figured if anyone could call Kaiba, it was him. He pressed the shortcut for his brother's number on his phone and it barely rang once before it was answered.

“Hey Seto. Just an update. Everything seems to be fine here. I have everyone in the panic room with me.” Mokuba said before he could receive a greeting.

“Good.” Kaiba replied.

“What's going on bro?” Mokuba asked.

“Lara received a text from Zigfried. He's watching the house. I think he has someone on the inside. Someone on the security detail.” Kaiba informed his brother and Mokuba swore under his breath. “What do we do from here?”

“I have Roland looking into it. I need to know who it is.” Kaiba growled.

“Okay. Please let me know what you know. We'll be staying put and there are still rations in here so we won't leave until you tell me to. Also, the trackers seem to be working well.”

“That's good. Stay safe Mokuba, and get some rest. I might need you tomorrow.”

“Sure thing bro.” Mokuba replied. He ended the call then pulled up the files on the various members of the security detail. He read through everything about them trying to pinpoint which of them could be Zigfried's mole.

Mokuba was becoming increasing frustrated. There was nothing to even vaguely hint at a connection to Zigfried. There had to be something that he was overlooking, but he needed to figure out what it was. He had to help his brother.

* * *

Lara stood at the window to her balcony staring at the twinkling lights of Berlin. She had always loved this city but it was Zigfried's city. He held far too much power here. They were not in Munich where she could do as she pleased. There were no friends in the right places here, no one she could unequivocally trust to help her and Kaiba.

She felt spare right now. There was nothing she could do to assist him with the issues at the house, he had to take care of that himself. She eventually heard him sigh followed by the distinct sound of his laptop being closed. Powerful arms snaked around her, pulling her into an embrace.

“Is it sorted?” Lara asked.

“Almost. Roland just needs to find that mole.” Kaiba said through gritted teeth.

“I think we should listen to Zigfried here.” She stated.

“I disagree.” Kaiba growled.

“Of course you do.” She rolled her eyes.

“I know you're rolling your eyes at me.” A tone of slight amusement played in his voice. Lara turned around in his arms and placed her hands on his chest.

“I really think we should follow his orders. I mean we are both going to have those trackers that you were working on earlier, on us. Also, we don't know who is working with Zig. They could know about the panic room. I want to do this. I can't risk Mokuba's or any of they other guys' lives.”

“Roland is the only one in my employ who knows where that panic room is located. Believe me Lara, if there was an immediate threat to Mokuba, I wouldn't be here having a conversation right now, I'd be finding a permanent solution.” Kaiba said, the malevolent threat clear in his voice.

“I hate this waiting around!” She exclaimed angrily, curling her hands into fists.

“I know.” Kaiba said gruffly.

“Tomorrow, Zigfried will know pain.” Lara threatened viciously. Kaiba looked into her eyes and all he saw was the flame of rage. He knew the feeling well.

 

It was well past midnight before Lara or Kaiba got any sleep at all. It was not restful. She woke frequently and when she did sleep deeply, they were filled with nightmares of Zigfried hurting her family. She woke up staring into the blue depths of Kaiba's eyes. His expression was impassive. There was no warmth in his face, no smile. His head was propped up on his elbow, his left arm draped over her.

“You were talking in your sleep.” He stated blandly.

Lara groaned. “What did I say?” She asked, covering her face with her hands.

“You're scared.” He replied.

“Just that?” She enquired.

“No but I don't think you want me to say the rest. At least not now.”

“Seto, it's too early to be cryptic.” She shook her head. “I hope it wasn't too embarrassing.”

“It wasn't.”

“We should get up. Who knows what's going to happen today.” Lara pulled away from his arms and padded to the bathroom. She took a quick shower, which Kaiba joined her for, and dressed in a warm long sleeve black bodysuit, jeans and flat black boots. She had no idea what was waiting for her at the house, she had to be comfortable and able to defend herself or run in whatever she wore. She pulled her sheepskin lined denim jacket off the hanger and went to the kitchen to make some coffee. Kaiba had already beaten her to it. The coffee machine slurped as the last of the water was pulled through the coffee grounds, dripping into the coffee pot below.

Kaiba had his attaché case open on the dining table, tinkering with a gadget in his fingers. Lara watched him keenly before he pulled his chair out and joined her at the kitchen counter. He held her jacket up for her to slip on then wordlessly turned her around and held up the fabric at the top buttonhole between his fingers, pinning a silver “KC” logo in place. He inspected his work and once he was satisfied, he held the sides of her face, kissing her lightly.

“It's your tracker and transmitter. Speak into it and I'll hear you.” He said as he pointed to the flesh coloured ear plug in his ear. He took her ear piece out of a small container where it was housed in grey foam, and gently fit it into her ear canal. “Does that feel okay?”

Lara simply nodded. She took a deep breath and poured two mugs of steaming hot coffee. She handed one to Kaiba then took a seat on her white couch.

“You should eat something.” Kaiba said leaning against the kitchen counter.

“I can't bear it right now.” Lara replied.

“I have a plan.” Kaiba stated. Lara drained her mug setting it on the coffee table and turned to give him her full attention but just then her phone buzzed to life. It was a text from Zigfried. Lara opened it and her blood ran cold.

 

“ _Look who came to visit. Unfortunate timing no? Tick tock.”_

 

Above the text was a selfie of Zigfried holding Leon. His arms wrapped around Leon's shoulders, the look of despair on his face contrasted greatly to the smug look painted on Zigfried's. Kaiba was at her side in an instant. She showed her phone to him.

“He has Leon.” She whispered. Lara immediately stood up. She grabbed her keys and the phone from Kaiba's hand, turning to leave instantly.

“Lara wait!” Kaiba ordered. “It's obviously a trap.”

“Maybe, but he's my baby brother Seto.” Lara replied.

“Do you really think Zigfried would hurt Leon while Annette is there?” He asked trying to reason with her.

“I don't know but I'm not willing to take that chance. I'm sorry.”

Lara flew out the door and ran down the staircase. She did not have time to wait for the elevator. She climbed into her Audi and sped out of the garage and merged with the traffic on the street making the oncoming cars brake hard, tyres screeching to avoid contact.

Lara took every advantage of the six-hundred horses under her, speeding through the streets. It felt like the tyres were barely skimming the road surface. She weaved her way through the morning traffic, flying through intersections in a blur. Her only thought was to get to Leon in time.

“Can you hear me?” A familiar but disembodied voice filled her ear.

“Yes.” She replied automatically.

“Good.” Came Kaiba's response.

The scenery changed and the sprawling city was soon left behind as Lara neared the castle that the Von Schroeders called home for generations. Lara saw the gate come up quickly and sharply turned in, tyres squealing in protest. She turned the engine off and locked her car with a beep as she ran to the door, banging on the wooden surface. The handle turned and a crack for an opening slowly appeared. Lara seized the door, not knowing or caring who was behind it, pushing it back violently as she barged in.

* * *

Kaiba's anger peaked as he watched Lara slam the door shut.

“Fuck Lara!” He yelled, slamming his empty mug down on the counter, chipping the thick white cup. He immediately sat at his laptop opening the various programmes he needed. He pinned his own transmitter in place and made sure everything was working properly before he spoke into the small silver pin.

“Can you hear me?” He asked through gritted teeth, his breathing was ragged.

“Yes.” Lara answered clearly.

“Good.” He replied as he watched the red dot that was Lara, navigate through the streets at a ridiculous speed. He watched the route she took, committing it to memory because he knew he would have to follow at some point.

He noticed the dot's sudden change in direction and heard the screeching tyres before he heard the distinct bang of the car door closing. He saw her red dot move further forward but was suddenly jolted by the loud static noise in his ear. He reflexively pulled out the ear piece and tossed it on the table when he saw Lara's red dot flash then disappear.

“Lara!” He breathed.


	28. Schroeder Castle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, here's the next installment... Enjoy?

Mokuba had spun around in his chair, facing Yugi. He had a bottle of water in his hand which he sipped as he spoke to him. Everyone was uneasy but Mokuba did his best to keep them all calm while still telling them the truth of what was going on.

In the many hours that had passed, the two red dots had not moved at all. It was obvious to them that Zigfried was trying to draw things out as much as he could. Yugi could sense Mokuba's tension and fear. There was little he could do to help when all the solutions seemed to be either in another country or through technology he did not understand, but he could be there to support his friend; no, his family. It was a notion that would take some getting used to.

There was movement behind Mokuba and Yugi called his attention to it.

“Mokuba, something's happening.” Yugi said urgently. Mokuba immediately spun around to see Lara's tracker race along the map. It was obvious that she was haring through the streets. Mokuba watched keenly as her little dot made its way through the city. He pulled up a satellite map of Berlin on his third screen to get an idea of where she was going. He saw that she made a sharp turn then came to a grinding halt. On his satellite image, he could see that she had stopped at a castle. Silence engulfed the room as everyone watched the screens as they saw the little red dot move a little further then disappear.

“No!” Mokuba exclaimed, pounding his fist on the table, making everyone jump.

* * *

Kaiba's heart hammered in his chest. He looked at the blank space on his laptop screen for a moment longer, just a moment; and in that moment, it was as if fire had radiated throughout his bloodstream. His rage emanated off him like a halo. He threw out the chair and grabbed the ear-piece and car key Lara had handed to him off the table racing out the door and down to the car. He threw open the silver car door, gracefully but quickly climbing in and started up the widowmaker with a roar. He tore out of the garage, heading in the direction Lara had gone earlier. The car seemed to obey his thoughts as he navigated the roads faster than anyone could imagine. Kaiba squeezed through the narrowest gaps between the cars leaving a trail of honking horns behind him. He prayed a silent prayer for Lara to hang on.

He had just swerved between two cars cutting through an intersection when his phone rang. It was Roland.

“Roland.” Kaiba answered.

“Mr Kaiba, we have him.” Roland said urgently.

“Hold him. I want to deal with the snake myself.” Kaiba growled a very thinly veiled threat. “Get what answers you can!”

“Yes sir. We’ve also swept the house and uncovered all the bugs.” Roland replied.

“Good.” Kaiba growled ending the call and tossing his phone onto the passenger seat. The scenery began to change and he knew that he would soon arrive at the home of the devil.

* * *

“Mokuba what's wrong?” Tea asked concerned.

“Lara's disappeared. See that missing red dot?” He pointed at the two screens in front of him. “It means her tracker is offline. I just can't get a read on anything, not even her phone!” He said through gritted teeth.

“How's that possible man?” Tristan asked.

“There are several possibilities. He could be using a scrambler. That's the one I’m hoping for, otherwise...”

“Otherwise what?” Mai asked.

“Otherwise it means Zigfried has her.” Mokuba replied not masking the terror in his voice. He ran his fingers through his hair, burying his head between his elbows.

“What can we do?” Yugi asked gently.

“Nothing!” Mokuba yelled as he kicked his chair, sending it crashing into the wall.

“Kaiba will take care of that pink haired punk.” Joey tried to reassure Mokuba.

“Yes but what is Seto walking into?!” Mokuba replied, fire raging in his grey eyes. The waiting was driving him insane and now he was unable to to see exactly where Seto and Lara were. He knew how far Zigfried would go to get his vengeance. He wished he could have just a snippet of sight, all he wanted was for his family to be home and whole again.

* * *

 

The butler's back hit the wall as Lara barged in.

“Where is he?!” She yelled as she ran through the golden lit entrance.

“Master Zigfried is in the drawing room.” The butler replied. She turned and ran towards the large ostentatiously decorated room, not hearing the butler say after her, “Lara be careful.” He had worked for the Von Schroeders his whole life, watching as they grew, quietly witnessing all that they experienced. He was very fond of Lara, she never treated the help differently, but he knew that there was always more to her than Zigfried or Annette could see. She was kind but she had a darkness to rival Zigfried's.

Lara ran through the marble passage, feet carrying her into the large entrance of the drawing room. Her eyes immediately landed on Leon who stood in the far side of the room. She ran to him ignoring all else in that moment.

“Leon!” She breathed. “Are you okay?” She frantically looked over his body, holding onto his arms.

“Why are you here?” She asked desperately.

“Zigfried asked me to come over urgently because you were going to be here. I wanted to see you. I'm sorry.”

Lara stared into Leon's sad eyes, she was wracked with indecision and guilt. Should she be here to save her brother who had so terribly betrayed her? But would he even be here if she had just given him a chance? Now Seto is bound to arrive at anytime given the way she flew out of her apartment.

An over accented, sing song voice sliced through her thoughts. She spun around using herself to shield Leon.

“It's good to see you Lara.” Zigfried sneered. Annette stood to her son's right, her expression mirroring his. In an instant, the wall that had been retaining Lara's ire fell, releasing the full torrent of hatred and anger she felt towards her older brother. She charged at Zigfried, crossing the room in a few long strides. She grabbed his right hand with her left and slammed him against the wall with a loud thud, her forearm pressing his throat into the brick.

“Zigfried!” Annette exclaimed. She moved towards Lara who shot her a warning glare. Annette stood in place, she had never seen Lara quite so far beyond reason before. Zigfried gasped for air.

“Give me one reason why I shouldn't.” Lara hissed.

“He's standing behind you.” Zigfried wheezed out. Leon. They were willing to sacrifice a member of their family and Lara realized that she had to keep him alive or he would not get out of here. He was just a pawn in their game; the bait and the one thing thing Lara knew about fishing, it never worked out well for the bait.

She loosened her grip on Zigfried who coughed and spluttered before regaining some of his composure back. He motioned for someone to enter the room and Lara instantly recognized the man the from the coffee shop. She had told Kaiba he worked for Zigfried, and here he was once again.

He walked around Lara who followed his movements out the corner of her eye. He stood behind her and Zigfried nodded at the tall blonde who suddenly grabbed Lara's right hand, twisting her arm back painfully. She yelped out and tried to fight back.

“I vouldn't struggle if I ver you Lara. You're not the vone in immediate danger here.” Zigfried said clearly inferring that Leon would suffer if Lara did not behave.

“How can you do this to your own brother?!” She seethed.

“He chose you over us.” Annette said angrily. She walked up to Lara who was still held in place by Zigfried's goon and slapped her across the face hard, causing Lara's head to snap to the right. She felt Annette's nails rake across her cheek. “We tried to reach out to him but he refused, eventually he stopped taking our calls.” Annette said as she glared accusingly at Leon. “Then I remembered what you said. That you have already taken my son away from me and I knew you had poisoned him against us.”

“You're delusional! I didn't have to do a god damn thing. You want someone to blame Annette? Look in the mirror!” Lara spat.

“Ladies, ladies, let's calm down shall ve? Lara don't make things difficult, Schwartz here has a problem vith his temper.” Zigfried said in a sickly sweet tone. “Come, let us sit.”

Schwartz pushed Lara onto a chair, Leon was seated on the double seater next to her while Zigfried and his mother sat in front of her. Lara's heart was pounding. It had been years since she was last in this room and nothing had changed, not even the people in it. She took in the situation she found herself in. Once again she was playing protector to Leon but this time, maybe he could be more useful. She knew she could take Annette easily and maybe even Zigfried but his goon was a different story. He was taller, stronger and meaner. Additionally, she had no idea if there were weapons present or what those weapons would be. She knew they had kept a few guns in the house, especially since her father liked them.

Lara knew that she had to wait for things to unfold a little more before she knew what she could possibly do from here.

“Since ve have a rare opportunity, I sink ve should talk.” Zigfried said. Lara gave him her full attention not bothering to mask the look of of absolute loathing directed at him.

“Let's.” Lara replied venomously.

“How could you join Herr Kaiba Lara? You knew vot zey did to fazer.” Zigfried asked.

“I could because they are decent and good. They did nothing to father. Competition is competition and you know as well as I do that both father and Gozaburo were war mongers.”

“Herr Kaiba was ze reason we lost every time!” Zigfried screeched.

“No! I lost nothing! You lost because you were always slow. You were always so sure that you were the smartest of the lot that you wouldn't consider anyone else. Seto Kaiba is smarter than you and he works harder than you ever have! You went to Pegasus with blueprints, Kaiba went there with a working model. Stop blaming the world for your failings.” Lara raged.

Zigfried took a deep breath and composed himself once more. He chuckled before speaking again.

“It's touching how you defend Herr Kaiba. I suppose an orphan knows how anozer orphan feels.”

Lara's hands curled into fists. “What's your point?”

“Just an observation Lara. I should have counted on zat when I needed you to get me information from Domino.” He said plainly.

“You make it sound like I went on a fact finding mission. You had me kidnapped Zigfried! And don't even try to sell this “Lara would come home and give us the info we need” nonsense because I'm not dumb. I know the plan was to have me killed, you admitted as much. Also, what in the world would make you think that I would rat out the Kaibas?! If you planned on them helping me, you should have realized that my loyalty would be with them!”

“You are a Von Schroeder, Lara! Ven vill you start acting like it?!” Zigfried yelled.

“Never! It's just a surname, not even one that I want! That said, I proved myself to this family time and time again. I fixed your blunders Zigfried, Schroeder Corp. would never have recovered if it wasn't for me and don't you ever forget that! And the only reason I worked there, was because father asked me to take care of the business and Leon, because he had no faith in you!” Lara said acidly.

“How dare you?!” Annette screeched.

“I dare because it's true! And you, Annette. What the fuck is wrong with you?! Leon is your son just as much as Zigfried, but you have never given him the time of day! I remember what I said to you on the phone, that I have taken him away from you and that isn't something I did recently, no, it was something you did long ago! You treated him like dirt, had no time for him. I raised him with the help of the maids, and I'll be damned if I let you hurt him now!”

“Don't push it Lara.” Zigfried warned as his mother opened her mouth to retort.

“Push what Zig? None of you will hurt anyone I care about.” Lara said slowly and clearly.

“Really? Vell maybe you need to listen to somesing.” Zigfried replied. He played an audio clip. Lara immediately recognized Mokuba's voice.

“ _Yes. You see Zigfried and his mother had Lara’s father killed. So Seto agreed to help and the buyout has gone well. In August Zigfried was kicked off the board... lost his job. A few months later he tried to come at us but Lara and Seto hatched a plan to keep us safe which worked until now. He has some information that we found out to be true. It turns out our stepfather had dug it up and Lara’s father probably got it off Gozaburo after a hack. Anyway, it turns out that Yugi is family.”_

“ _Say what?! You and rich boy?!”_

“ _Yes Joey. Just let Mokuba finish.”_

Lara listened carefully. Kaiba had spoken to Mokuba after this conversation. Mokuba had not yet shown anyone the panic room, so this more than likely would have been in the lounge. That means that Kaiba was right. If the mole knew about the panic room then surely it would have been bugged and she would be listening to very different sounds, the timbre of their voices would be different.

“So you have someone in Kaiba's team. You don't scare me Zig.” Lara smirked. “You're still no match for Kaiba.” Lara was sure that Zigfried was about to blow a fuse.

“You have so much faith in Herr Kaiba, it vill be fun to destroy him in front of you. How much do you sink it vill hurt to see him bleed?” Zigfried taunted.

“Let me make myself very clear, if you hurt so much as a hair on his head, I will end you slowly, painfully. I have many years of hatred to draw on Zigfried. You think you have me cornered because of my feelings for Kaiba, you forget, I know where to hurt you too.” Lara threatened silkily and Zigfried immediately looked at his mother. “What's wrong brother? Worried?” Lara sneered.

Leon remained quiet for this entire exchange. There was nothing he could say or do. He knew Lara would make good on her promises, he also knew that she was trying to protect him now. She was keeping all the attention focussed on her.

“I also know that Mokuba and the others are safe. You can't get to them, and your man on the inside? Well, he's failed already.” She said smugly.

“That's vat you sink!” Zigfried spat.

“It's what I know. Oh dear brother mine, how you miscalculated.” She smirked.

“I never miscalculate! Before zis day is out, ze name Kaiba will cease to exist Lara. And I'll make sure you have a front row seat! You sink his security is his only issue?” Zigfried taunted.

“I know it isn't. It's not your style. I know your man in the company.” Lara said, her eyes boring into his.

Zigfried laughed. “Oh Lara, how I vish you ver on our side. You are very sharp. How long have you known about Ikeda?”

“I didn't. You just told me.” She smiled. “So you targeted a director. Head of finance too.”

Zigfried looked like he was about to explode.

“Don't be so sullen. You fell for it every time when we were kids and it's no different now. But I would like to thank you for the information.”

“It doesn't matter Lara. You aren't leaving zis place.” Zigfried said, flipping his hair back.

“Oh, I won't be dying today.”

It was then that they heard the thunderous roar of a high powered engine come screaming into the courtyard. The car stopped with screeching tyres and Zigfried instructed his goon to check it out. Lara smiled knowingly. She would be able to pick that car out anywhere.

* * *

Kaiba brought the Porsche to a grinding halt next to Lara's car but much further forward. He exited in a blur, slamming the door shut behind him. He took four long strides to the front door which opened as he reached it. Kaiba took a step back, creating a little distance and out stepped Schwartz, but Kaiba was ready for him. Recognition flashed in Kaiba's eyes and as soon as he stepped over the threshold, Kaiba's right foot made satisfying contact with his chest, sending Schwartz flying back into the house and crashing into the gold table. Schwartz got back onto his feet quickly and came at Kaiba with a punch but he ducked down, sending his elbow deep into the attacker's solar plexus, winding him. Kaiba grabbed the top of Schwartz's shirt; collar, tie and all, and shoulder threw him hard onto the floor. Schwartz meekly reached for his gun, wrapping his fingers around the handle but Kaiba was too quick. He stomped on his wrist with his boot causing Schwartz to release the weapon. Kaiba kicked it away and leaned over his attacker.

“Nobody tries to hurt my brother!” He whispered cruelly through gritted teeth. Breathing heavily and no longer able to fully control his rage, he grabbed Schwartz's head and slammed it into the marble floor, once, twice then a third time. The man was unconscious with blood trickling down his temple. Kaiba stepped over his body as he noticed the device sitting benignly on the gold half-moon console table. Anyone would think it was nothing more than an odd looking router but Kaiba knew exactly what it was. He cursed as he ripped it away from the wall, severing its power cable. He pulled off the eight antenna and dropped all the pieces to the floor.

He inserted his ear-piece back into his ear and spoke quickly into his transmitter.

“Lara can you hear me? Are you okay?” He asked. His voice gruffer than usual.

* * *

Mokuba watched the monitors keenly. He saw Kaiba arrive at his destination even faster than Lara had. He made the same sharp turn and his red dot also disappeared.

“I knew it!” Mokuba slammed the table.

“What did we miss?” Joey asked.

“Did you see that? Seto's tracker signal was also lost but it didn't flash like Lara's.” Mokuba said.

“Yeah, so?” Joey replied.

“It has to be a signal scrambler. Remember Lara's dot stopped then moved forward slower, flashed and that was it. Seto's disappeared before he stopped so he must have driven the car closer to the signal scrambler.” He explained.

“So that good news right?” Tea said.

“Well, yes and no. Yes because we know what it is and I'm pretty sure Seto has figured it out. No because we won't be able to track them until it's switched off.”

Silence fell upon the chamber, everyone watched the screens, hoping for some sort of sign. Mokuba and Yugi sat together, both praying for their family. Finding out he was related to the Kaiba brothers was a shock but staying with Mokuba throughout this infinite night had made the thought settle with him. All he wanted now was for the missing puzzle piece of his family to get home safely. Yugi was violently pulled from his thoughts by Mokuba's joyous exclamation.

“Yes! I knew Seto would do it!” Mokuba yelled. The two trackers had reappeared on Mokuba's screens. He could hear his blood pounding in his ears as he watched, grateful for some sign of life.

* * *

Meanwhile in the drawing room, Zigfried was becoming increasingly agitated. He could hear noises but none of them sounded like ones he wanted to hear. He paced about the room waiting for Schwartz's return but with each passing second he grew more restless. He pulled out a handgun and Leon's body stiffened.

“Are you really going to fire a gun Zigfried?” Lara asked incredulously.

“If I have to.”

“You've never fired anything in your life. You've never even experienced the recoil of a gun. You are going to get yourself killed.” Lara laughed.

“Is this concern Lara?”

“I wouldn't be concerned if you fell into a vat of toxic sludge, but I've never known you to be stupid.” She replied plainly.

“Oh Lara, you should know by now, there's nothing I can't do.” His attempt at smugness did not hide his unease from Lara. He walked over to his mother and handed the gun to her. “Keep zis on her mozer. If anysing happens to me, shoot zem both.” Zigfried then turned and left the room.

Lara sized Annette up, she knew Annette knew how to handle a firearm but she was not mentally prepared for what would follow. After all, even in killing her father, Annette had someone else do the dirty work.

Lara did not like the silence that was settling on the room. She knew she had to distract Annette long enough to get the gun away from her and find a way to get to Kaiba. She also knew that with the gun trained on her, Leon would be safe from harm and even if Annette did try to change target, there would be enough time for Leon to get out of the way and for Lara to pounce.

“I know you have always hated me, but how could you hurt your son like this?” Lara asked Annette.

“What son?” She responded.

“You can't be serious?!”

“Like I said earlier, he chose you over us.” Annette replied simply.

“Actually, he chose you when he agreed to Zigfried's plan. Yes, he may have changed his tune when he learnt the truth about what you did but that's your fault. Zigfried, Leon and I share a father. You didn't just punish father or me, you also took away Leon's father. Why did you have him if you were never going to show him real love? Why have a son so sweet and toss him to the side when all he wanted was to be one of you? Why did I have to fulfil a role that you should have? I may be a lot of things Annette, Zigfried may be worse than me, but you are the real monster in this family!” Lara said in a deathly calm manner.

“Leon would have been fine if you weren't there. It was your fault he never felt like one of us. I love my children!” Annette yelled.

“My fault?! Because I gave him somewhere to go?! He asked you to read him a story.” Lara said softly. “He was four years old, he asked you to read a fucking story to him and you yelled at him!” Lara’s voice began to rise. “You separated him from his brother, you didn't spend time with him at all, you didn't even hug him! Love your children my ass! You love power and Zigfried was your ticket. You're pathetic.”

“I'm pathetic?! Who was it that wouldn't leave when they were not wanted?” Annette screeched.

“So then fix it now!” Lara shouted, getting off the couch. “But make sure your bullet doesn't miss because if it does, I will rip you apart.” Lara threatened. Her eyes were pools of ice. Annette's fingers wrapped around the trigger. Her hand began to shake. Lara knew shooting for target practice was entirely different from doing it in reality.

“I SAID DO IT!” Lara bellowed. Annette looked at the gun which was shaking substantially. Lara seized the opportunity, launching herself at Annette. She grabbed Annette's wrists pushing them above her head as tackled her to the floor. Lara pried the gun out of her hand, rolled to her feet and tossed it out the open window. In that moment Kaiba's voice crackled through her earpiece.

“ _Lara can you hear me? Are you okay?”_

“Yes. Zigfried is heading your way. I don't think he's armed.” She replied. Relief coursed through her. Hearing Kaiba's voice was exactly the strength she needed now.

Lara pulled Annette to her feet.

“Leon, hold her hands behind her back. She comes with us. Do not let her get away from you. Understand?” Lara instructed. Leon nodded back. He did as Lara asked and the three of them left the drawing room in search of Kaiba.

* * *

“Herr Kaiba!” Zigfried announced, walking through the hallway. Kaiba spun around, eyes narrowed, he crossed the floor in a flash gripping Zigfried by the throat and slamming him against the wall. Kaiba was all rage. He hoisted Zigfried up by his neck making him look down into his blue eyes. His feet were slightly off the ground.

“Where's Lara?” Kaiba growled threateningly. Zigfried sneered in response and Kaiba pulled him forward and slammed him back against the wall with a satisfying thud. “I'll ask one more time. Where is Lara?”

“Being taken care of.” Zigfried wheezed struggling to get breath in Kaiba's vice-like grip. Kaiba dropped him to his feet suddenly and brought his fist hard into Zigfried's stomach making him double over.

“Are you going to give me the answers I want now?” Kaiba asked in a low, dangerous voice. Zigfried took one look at the body on the floor and realized he was in trouble. If Kaiba could take out Schwartz, he needed to get a weapon. Zigfried tried to return a punch to Kaiba's gut but he blocked it easily with his left arm grabbing Zigfried's forearm in both his hands and swung him round like a hammer throw, sending him crashing into the ornate mirror that hung on the wall. Zigfried crumpled in a heap on the floor. His eyes were wide, he needed to get away from Kaiba, that's when he spotted the gun near the doorway to the passage. Zigfried pulled himself up, crawling to the gun as fast as could. Kaiba spotted his target but Zigfried was already there. He swiped the gun off the floor, rolled onto his back and pointed the barrel at Kaiba who stopped in his tracks.

“Do it.” Kaiba taunted but Zigfried just held the gun in place. Lara's words were coming back to haunt him. He had never fired a gun before, he was better than this vulgarity; and what if he missed? Would that give Kaiba an opportunity to retaliate? As it is, he was on the floor, back against the wall. He had nowhere to go if his attack failed. He needed to move. Kaiba was like a caged animal, standing on a point he was trapped in, but trapped only while the gun was on him. The moment Zigfried turned, Kaiba would be on him.

Zigfried had one choice, he needed to distract Kaiba long enough to create some distance. He slowly pulled himself to his feet, keeping the gun trained on his brown-haired adversary. Kaiba's blue eyes never once left Zigfried's aqua ones. Zigfried's finger tightened around the trigger, Kaiba jumped out the way as the .45 pistol fired sending Zigfried's arm straight up from the recoil. He turned on his heel and ran as fast as he could towards the stairs.

Kaiba watched him turn and run, he leapt into action, following Zigfried as he ran up the various flights of stairs. He was entirely focussed on getting him. One way or another, this threat would end today.

Kaiba saw Zigfried's gun bearing arm extend out once more and ducked behind the wall as a bullet went whizzing past him, hitting the brick and mortar wall with a bang. _“Scheiße!”_ he heard Zigfried yell. _“Amateur”_ he thought. He carefully but quickly turned back on to the stairs, running up them two at a time. He caught the door Zigfried had run out of, just before it could close and found himself outside, in the cold December light.

Zigfried stood feet away from the parapet, four storeys above the landing below. His gun was pointed directly at Kaiba who walked around in a slow semi-circle to stand in front of him.

“What are you going to do Zigfried? We both know you can't kill me.” Kaiba taunted. His eyes flashed dangerously.

“I told you in ze past zat I always win. Today is no different Herr Kaiba.” Zigfried said in his over accented voice.

“You call this winning? I call it desperation.” Kaiba growled. His mind worked overtime trying to account for any move Zigfried could make and how he could avoid it. He still needed to know where Lara was. She had said that she was not hurt but he had to make sure for himself. Plus, Kaiba needed answers.

“Call it vat you vant Herr Kaiba. It doesn't change ze outcome.” He smiled.

“Doesn't it? The way I see it is that you've given up. You can't beat me or Lara so you'll try to get rid of us knowing you'll never see the outside of a prison cell again. So you've either resigned yourself to the loss or you know your end will be more permanent.” Kaiba sneered.

“Zer is a sird option. I have a lot of friends in Berlin. You are in my city now.” Zigfried boasted.

“And you think my power doesn't reach here?” Kaiba asked mockingly.

“I know it doesn't Herr Kaiba.”

“You know nothing!” Kaiba spat.

“I know zat Lara won't live past today.” Zigfried gibed. Kaiba saw red, his hands curled into fists. “I can see zat got your attention. Seems like our Lara tamed ze dragon.”

“Watch what you say Zigfried.” Kaiba warned ominously.

“Did I hit a nerve? Vell, soon she'll be gone and I vill be more successful zan she ever vas!” He exclaimed.

Kaiba burst out laughing at this remark. “Zigfried. I'd say you have about as much chance of succeeding as Lara has at failing.” Kaiba said smoothly. “You'll never beat her and you'll never beat me.”

“Oh Herr Kaiba, I'm going to enjoy killing you. Too bad zis didn't work exactly as I hoped but at least you vill both be gone. Zen I'll take care of Mokuba and Yugi and ze Kaiba bloodline vill cease to exist!”

“Once again you're late to the party Zigfried. You won't be touching them. My company and my family are safe. You think you could outsmart me?” Kaiba said incredulously.

“You are lying!”

“I never lie you pink haired moron.”

“Zat is it! I have heard enough! Goodbye Herr Kaiba.” Zigfried said in a sing song voice. Every muscle in Kaiba's body tensed, as Zigfried pulled the hammer back on the gun slowly.

* * *

Lara heard an almighty crash soon followed by the unmistakable bang of a gunshot and ran through the house towards the site of the noise. She saw the unconscious body of Schwartz, the broken mirror and the bullet hole in the wall. She realized what direction that was fired from and ran to the hallway as fast as her long legs would carry her. She turned around to check if Leon was still in control of Annette. That was when she heard the second shot and her blood froze.

“Don't worry Lara, I've got this. Go!” Leon told her. She nodded and ran up the stairs as she had done a million times as a child. Those times were so different to now. Back then it was a race to get outside and play in the sunshine or rain or snow, now it felt like getting up there was her reason for living. Nothing mattered now, except Kaiba.

There were no drops of blood on the stairs to her great relief and as she rounded the corner for the next flight of stairs, she saw the second bullet hole. She continued running up the stairs, her thighs burned in protest but there was nothing that she would stop for now.

Lara finally got to the door that led outside. She flung it open to see a slightly bloody Zigfried point his gun at Kaiba. Her heart stopped in that moment. Zigfried could take everything from her, but she would not let him take Kaiba.

Leon arrived behind Lara at that moment, holding Annette tightly.

“Zig! Don't do it!” He yelled. Lara knew there was no point, she could already see what was going to happen. It felt like time slowed down. She heard several sets of feet come up behind her but she would not look back. She saw Zigfried's thumb pull back the hammer of the gun; Lara instantly launched forward, running at Zigfried faster than she had ever run in her life. The distance closed quickly as every step propelled her forward. She turned slightly, slamming her shoulder into Zigfried's, launching him into the air for a moment. He landed heavily on his feet, off balance, he squeezed the trigger of the gun, sending the bullet into the wall but was completely unprepared for the heavy recoil. He lost his balance entirely as he fell backwards. Zigfried grabbed Lara's arm as he tumbled over the parapet, taking Lara with him over the wall. Kaiba's heart stopped.


	29. Valkyrie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So hopefully this chapter makes it up to you all for the ending last week :D Enjoy :)

Lara tried to reach out with her left hand to grab the wall but missed. She saw the wall start to rise above her as she fell. She yelped in pain as her fall was suddenly halted. A strong hand wrapped around her forearm, arresting her fall. Kaiba had reacted purely on instinct. He had launched forward the moment Zigfried had pulled Lara over and now here he was, anchoring himself against the parapet and preventing the woman he loved from plummeting to her death.

“I've got you!” He grunted.

Lara looked up, seeing Kaiba holding onto her with his right hand, his left arm was braced against the wall. Below her, Zigfried still held on to her right arm tightly. Fear was etched onto his pale face. She took a moment to control her breathing. This was an awful position to be in. Kaiba was strong, but she did not think that he would be able to pull the combined weight of her and Zigfried up and over the wall. Her arm burned from the strain.

“Zigfried, hold on!” She yelled, looking down. The landing was a long, long way down. Lara was never afraid of heights, but this was terrifying. “Seto!” She called. He looked down into her bright green eyes then turned his head to his right.

“Why don't you idiots make yourself useful!” Kaiba barked. “Get over here!”

A man that Lara had never seen before came up to the parapet. He stood to the left of Kaiba and awaited his instructions.

“Zig! I'm going to swing you that way.” Motioning with her head towards the man. “He will catch your arm.”

“No Lara! I'm slipping!” Zigfried shouted, his pupils were entirely dilated in fear.

“Don't you dare! I'm not letting go!” She yelled determinedly.

“I can't hold on!” He called back.

“So you're just going to give up?! I didn't have my brother pegged for a quitter!” She lashed out. “Now I'm going to swing you across. Just extend your arm!” She instructed. “Seto! On three?”

“Just do it!” He growled, face contorted in discomfort.

“One...”

“Lara!” Zigfried called.

“Two... Three!” She swung Zigfried to her left, her arm felt like it was on fire, the pain was excruciating. She used her body for leverage, swinging like a pendulum but as she brought him round, Zigfried's hold gave way.

“Lara!” He yelled as his hand slipped through hers. She tried to grasp on with her fingertips but it was too late. She watched in horror as Zigfried fell back first, hurtling towards the ground. The walls and windows passed him by in blur as the cement rushed up to meet him. And with a thud, he was gone. Lara looked down to see her brother on the ground, broken, his arms and legs at funny angles to his torso. She heard a woman scream Zigfried's name from far away, not realizing the sound had come from her. She could not look away from the body below. Lara had not even noticed that she was being pulled up to safety by Kaiba.

He hoisted her over the parapet and gently set her on her feet. He wrapped his left arm around her and held her body to his, keeping her upright but her head was still facing the lifeless body of Zigfried.

“Lara!” Kaiba urged as he gently shook her but she did not respond. He held the side of her face and forced her to turn to him. “Look at me!” He growled. She turned her face towards him and he stared into her green eyes which were clearly dazed.

“Lara.” He said sternly. “Listen to me, you need to snap out of it.” He squeezed her shoulders. She heard Kaiba's voice but was unable to form a response. She closed her eyes. Lara knew she had to react, regain control, but she was numb. She willed her body to respond to her. She opened her eyes and stared into Kaiba's.

“Seto.” She whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck and held on for dear life. He held her tightly until she was ready to let go. She breathed in scent, it was comforting and helped bring her back to the present. She pulled away and he held on to the side of her head forcing her to look up at him.

“Are you okay?” He growled.

“No.” She said softly. “I need to get down there. We need to check on him, he could still be alive.”

“Lara.” He said in warning. “He’s gone.”

“Seto, I need to get down there.”

Kaiba sighed. “Fine.” He held her hand as he led the way forward. It was only then that Lara realized that there were police all over the place. There was a police officer holding on to Annette who was in hysterics. Leon was leaning over the parapet, shock evident on his face.

“Who called the police?” Lara asked.

“I did.” Kaiba growled.

“What? When?”

“When I came after you.” There was a hint of irritation in his voice.

Lara and Kaiba approached the door but Annette would not let her past.

“Are you happy now? You killed him! You killed my son!” She screeched.

“I did not! I tried to save him!” Lara said firmly, breaking away from Kaiba.

“LIAR!” Annette yelled.

“I hated him, but I'm no murderer. I'm not you!” Lara fired back.

“He was better than you and you killed him! YOU KILLED HIM!” Annette's chest heaved as sobs wracked her body. “It should have been you! Why didn't you die?! You wanted him dead and you killed him! YOU MURDERED MY SON!”

Lara snapped. She did not realize what she was doing until she did it. She curled her fingers into fist, pulling her right hand back. She launched it forward, punching Annette in the face, breaking her nose. She was instantly silent, staring at Lara with wide eyes.

“I said I'm not you.” Lara said through gritted teeth.

She pushed past Annette and the officer that held her in place, and ran down all the flights of stairs until she broke through to the landing where Zigfried had fallen. She saw his lifeless body on the ground and slowly approached him. His pink hair was fanned out and his aqua eyes were wide and staring. She knelt beside his body, seeing the stream of blood that had flooded the grooves between the cement blocks.

“What did you do Zig?! Why didn't you hold on?!” She asked angrily. “I never wanted it to end this way. I wanted to beat you but I would never have killed you. I hated you, but you were still my brother. Seeing that gun in your hand… I couldn’t lose Kaiba.” She sat in silence, staring at the remains of her greatest enemy. “I suppose we'll both know peace now. You'll never come after my family again and maybe now you can find happiness wherever you are. Rest in peace Zig.” Lara said softly as she reached over and closed his eyes.

“Lara.”

She looked up to see Kaiba standing in the doorway. She stood up and walked away from the corpse of her half-brother. She joined Kaiba who led her away from the patio.

“I've taken care of the police but we need to clarify a few things.”

“What do you mean you've taken care of them?” Lara asked.

“I'll make it clear once we are with the others. Zigfried thought he owned this town, but he forgot who I am.” Kaiba said smoothly.

Kaiba kept his hand on the small of her back as they walked back into the house. They stepped into the drawing room. Annette was in cuffs and seated between two officers. Leon was standing to the side. They were approached by a man who introduced himself as the major which Lara thought was odd. He was far too high ranking to be there.

“I already have Mr Kaiba’s version of events. I need to hear yours.” He said to Lara. She informed him of everything up until the point she heard numerous footsteps up on the roof. She realized that they belonged to the team in this room.

“Thank you.” He said. “We have everything we need. Including witnesses for Mr von Schroeder’s fall. Additionally, we know the injury to Mrs von Schroeder came from her fall on the stairs.” He said to Kaiba more than anyone else and Lara instantly understood what Kaiba meant when he said he took care of it. Annette’s eyes darted to Kaiba, she had always operated on the notion that only a Schroeder could wield power in this city, but Kaiba’s reach had no limits.

“If that will be all, we’ll be leaving.” Kaiba growled.

“Please stay in the country overnight Mr Kaiba. Just in case we need to speak.” The major said. Kaiba nodded in understanding. There would be no backlash from the events that transpired at the Von Schroeder Castle. Kaiba was able to control the recording of the events, that meant that even if the media had sources in law enforcement, they would know what he wanted them to.

Kaiba grabbed Lara’s hand and led her out the house and to her car. She could tell his temper was simmering below the surface. Since leading her back into the house, he had not said a word to her. She climbed into her Audi as he slammed the door to the Porsche he had driven. Both cars roared to life and they sped towards the city. They approached Lara’s building with her leading the way into the parking garage. She brought the car to halt and Kaiba parked next to her.

They entered the building in silence, even the ride in the elevator up to her apartment was quiet. Kaiba unlocked the door and stepped in without looking back, Lara closed it with a soft click and locked it. She knew exactly why Kaiba was angry.

“Seto say something.” Lara said.

Kaiba spun around, a wild anger in his eyes. “What do you want me to say?” He asked coldly.

“Anything. Scream at me, break something. I don’t care! Just stop with the silence.” She pleaded loudly. Kaiba closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair, when he opened them, they were blazing. “Seto.” She said firmly.

“Lara do you even realize how stupid it was to fly out of here like that?! It was painfully obvious it was a trap.” His voice was calm and cold. He’d never used that tone on her before.

“I underst-” She started but he cut her off.

“I’m not finished! The only reason they had Leon was to get you there. Do you realize that?!” He fired at her.

“Yes, I do.” She replied evenly.

“Do you remember me saying that Leon still has power over you? Now do you understand why?” He yelled.

“I remember but he is my brother Seto. I couldn’t let him get hurt in the crossfire.” She replied.

“And in the process, you endangered your life! Do you have any idea how close I came to losing you today?!” He roared. Lara opened her mouth to respond but quickly closed it. She knew. Kaiba was right to be angry at her.

“I was reckless, I understand that.”

“Do you?!” He spat.

“I do Seto.” She said, closing the distance between them but he held his hands up and moved away from her, turning to face the window. She took a deep breath. She understood why he was angry, but what choice did she have? She would make him see reason.

“Seto Kaiba, you look at me when I’m talking to you.” She said firmly. He turned around glaring at her. “I do understand everything I did wrong today. I endangered your life and mine for Leon. You are right, it was stupid. I should have waited and formed a plan with you and for that I am sorry. I panicked. Okay? I put you in a difficult position today, but if I hadn’t I would not have found out that Ikeda was Zigfried’s mole at Kaiba Corp.”

“What?!” Kaiba narrowed his eyes.

“That’s how Zig knew what was going on. He was watching, passing info onto Zigfried. Our interactions, those rumours about us, everything.”

“He wasn’t the only one.” Kaiba growled.

“What do you mean?” Lara asked.

“He had someone on the security team as well.”

“Fuck. This could have been so much worse.” Lara said wide eyed.

“I’ll sort it out when we get back.” Kaiba threatened. He walked over to Lara and enfolded her in his arms. “Never put me through that again.” He said menacingly enunciating every syllable.

“Did I scare you?” She smiled.

“Fuck Lara.” He growled. “First when your tracker disappeared, then when you went over that wall. I had no way to know if I would catch you in time.” He said looking away.

“But you did. I promise to never scare you again.” She stood on tip toe to kiss him lightly on his lips.

“How’s your arm?” He asked.

“A little sore, but I can move it around.” She said as she rotated her shoulder.

“Good. I need to call Mokuba.” He said as he pulled away from her and dialled Mokuba's number.

 

* * *

Mokuba paced the length of the panic room. They had all seen Kaiba and Lara leave Zigfried's home and head to Lara's apartment. He knew Kaiba would call to let him know what was going on but he wished that would happen already.

“Dude, would you chill? You're making me dizzy.” Tristan said.

“Sorry Tristan. I just wish I kn-” Mokuba was cut short by the ringing of his phone. He launched himself at the table answering before it had completed its first ring.

“Seto! Are you okay?” Mokuba answered.

“I'm fine Mokuba. So is Lara.”

“Oh thank God! What happened?” Mokuba asked.

“Zigfried is dead.” Kaiba informed his brother.

“What?!” Mokuba exclaimed, disbelieving.

“He tried to shoot me, Lara pushed him off balance but he fired the gun anyway. He fell off the roof and tried to take Lara with him. She tried to save him but he slipped from her grasp.”

“Geez Seto! How is Lara holding up?”

“She's fine.” Kaiba said. He proceeded to inform his brother of all that had gone on. Mokuba listened with rapt attention, only interjecting to let his brother know he was listening.

“That's insane. So what do you want us to do from here?” Mokuba enquired.

“How are your rations in there?” Kaiba asked.

“Still pretty good. Another two days or so.” Mokuba replied.

“Good. I want to you to stay there. Do not come out for any reason. Not with that snake still there.” Kaiba instructed.

“Okay big brother. I'll see you tomorrow.”

* * *

The sun had already set when Lara stirred from her nap. She lifted her head off the armrest of her large white sectional couch. She saw that Kaiba had settled in the “L” of the couch, busy with his laptop balanced on his lap. She rubbed her eyes as she sat up.

“What time is it?” She asked.

“Just after five.” Kaiba responded without looking up from his screen.

“What? The last thing I remember was you talking to Mokuba.” She shook her head. “I'm going to freshen up.”

Lara felt like she had run a marathon. She brushed her teeth, combed her hair and tied it back into a ponytail. She noticed the light scratch marks on the cheek from where Annette had slapped her. She was a loose end but with Kaiba having the police in his pocket and the story of her immense betrayal spreading wider, Lara knew there was no need to worry about her. She would likely implode.

Lara walked back out to the kitchen and made a fresh pot of coffee. She had only just turned the machine on when there was a knock at her door. She looked through the peep-hole, not entirely surprised to see who stood there. She opened the door, stepping aside to let him in.

“Leon.” She greeted.

“Hi Lara.” He greeted back as he stepped over the threshold. Kaiba immediately closed his laptop and placed it on the coffee table.

“Have a seat.” She offered. She sat next to Kaiba who laced his fingers in hers, holding it firmly. Leon saw the display but said nothing. He took a seat on the single seater, unsure of where to begin.

“Kaiba, would you mind if I spoke to my sister privately?” Leon asked.

“I would.” Kaiba growled. He barely hid his antagonism.

“Lara.” Leon pleaded.

“You heard him.” Lara replied simply. She heaved a sigh. “I'm with Seto now. There's nothing I keep from him.” She stated.

“Fine.” Leon said softly. “I came here to talk to you. I wanted to apologize and thank you. But I suppose the words aren't enough. You never did respond to my email.”

“I had nothing to say.” Lara's voice was devoid of emotion. Kaiba could tell her shields were up. Once upon a time Leon was held close to her heart but now he was on the outside, like most other people. Yes, he was still special to her, but Lara would never let her guard down around him again.

“Please Lara. I am trying. I know you still love me; you wouldn't have come today if you didn't.”

“You are right. I do but I don't trust you, and that's why I can't let you in again.” Lara said evenly.

“I understand that, but how can I regain your trust if you won't let me prove myself to you?” He asked earnestly.

“You have a point but here's the thing; I still feel protective over you but there isn't a damn thing in the world you can do to earn my trust back and even if by some miracle you do, it will never be like it was. That relationship is gone Leon. You have to move on. Focus on other things. Your new career for instance. I heard about your publishing ventures and I'm immensely happy for you... and I’m proud of you. You're finally doing something you love.” Lara's tone was kind but her words were careful and her emotions in check.

“I do love it. But it feels hollow. Please Lara, I really am sorry.”

“Leon, I don't doubt that your apologies are sincere. Let me explain something to you. The reason I can't give you another chance or trust you is not because you chose Zigfried over me, it's because of what you said when I called you from Domino. You were so happy to hear from me, so worried. You had no idea what happened to me. You wanted to confront Zig. Do you remember that? You played your part so well. You had me fooled. That moment was when your betrayal destroyed everything we had, because it showed me that you could lie to me so completely. I know Zigfried played you. It was that along with the memories of helping raise you that made me decide to give you an out you could work with at the board meeting. You could turn your life around. As far as I'm concerned, I've achieved what I set out to do.”

“But Lara, I love you.” Leon said sincerely.

“You should have thought about that before. You'll always be special to me but I have a real family in Domino.” Lara squeezed Kaiba's hand as she spoke the words. It was hard for Kaiba to let Lara continue this conversation. Seeing Leon look and act like a wounded puppy grated on his nerves. He looked defeated but Kaiba had no sympathy for him.

“Leon, I think you should leave.” Kaiba finally said.

“Kaiba, I'm just trying to fix my relationship with my sister.” Leon said stiffly.

“And I am protecting her from that.” Kaiba growled. “There should never have been anything to fix. You should have trusted her but you didn't. Now leave.”

Leon glared at Kaiba but it did not compare to the look of absolute revulsion on Kaiba's face. Leon stood to leave and Kaiba opened the door.

“I'll never stop trying to make it up to you Lara.” Leon said, he turned around and strode through the door that Kaiba firmly shut behind him. He walked over to Lara, pulling her off the couch. He slid his fingertips in her hair and kissed her hungrily.

“Are you okay?” Kaiba asked, she nodded in reply and met his lips with hers once more.

“So, we're leaving tomorrow. I can think of a few ways to pass the time.” She smiled against his lips.

“First we need to get some food in you.” He drawled.

Lara shook her head as she knitted her fingers in his. He led her out of the apartment, they were both keen for the next day, not just to take care of the final threat, but also to get home to Mokuba and be a family once more.


	30. Soul of purity and Light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're almost at the end of this story but we have a few chapters left. I hope you all enjoy :)

 

It felt like Lara had only just fallen asleep when she had to wake up. They showered, dressed and headed to the airport, arriving at the plane a little before four am. They quickly boarded and sat at the polished wood table, facing each other. They strapped themselves into the cream leather seats and in no time, they were up in the air.

Kaiba busied himself with his laptop for the first few hours of the flight, Lara had far too much on her mind and could not concentrate on much. She felt guilty about the way things had gone with Leon but she knew it was for the best. The hardest choices were often the best ones to make in the long run. She stared unseeingly at the screen of her laptop, her thoughts were faraway. A ping jolted her to the present, she was slightly disappointed to see it was just an email informing her that her cars were safely back in storage. She mentally chastised herself for hoping it was Leon. This chapter of her life was closed. It was time to move on. She looked up at Kaiba who had a look of intense concentration on his face. She had to move on and she would with this extraordinary man. She had seen him through some intense moods and dark times, but she had also seen him happy, relaxed and well, rather playful. There were so many sides to him, he had been through so much and yet, he still allowed her into his inner sanctum. She did truly love him and she almost lost him. She could still see Zigfried pointing the gun at Kaiba.

“You realize you're staring.” He deadpanned, not looking up from his laptop.

“I'm sorry. I was far away.” She smiled. Kaiba closed the lid and stowed the laptop away before turning his attention to her.

“What's wrong?” He asked.

“Just thinking about everything that happened yesterday.” She said plainly. She reached over and pulled his hand over, holding onto it with both of hers. She kept her eyes fixed on their fingers, he watched her intently. “I died a thousand deaths yesterday. Seeing Zigfried point that gun at you... My heart stopped. There were so many ways that could have gone down but I couldn't bear the thought of losing you. I had to do something.” She said quietly. Lara paused momentarily, lifting her gaze to meet Kaiba's. “I've known for a while now but I was scared to say the words, but when I walked out and saw the real danger you were in and there was now the possibility that I would never get to say them at all... I don't know... It scared me more than anything else.”

“Lara...” Kaiba started but Lara shook her head and he fell silent.

“Seto, I love you. I love you more than I ever thought it was possible for anyone to love.” She said earnestly. She felt naked. It was the most vulnerable she had ever been. She had just bared her soul to this man. Kaiba got off his seat, not breaking the connection of their hands and pulled her up, against his body. He wrapped his arms around her protectively and kissed the top of her head.

“I know the feeling.” He said gruffly. He pulled her hair away from her face as he held the sides of her head, he leaned in, pressing his lips to hers. “I know it wasn't the best way for me to have said it either, but it doesn't make it untrue. I do love you Lara. Never doubt it.” He said as he broke the connection between their lips.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and placed her head on his shoulder. Kaiba's arms was where she belonged. It may have taken a difficult journey, but she finally found the family she had always wanted.

Their meal was served so Lara and Kaiba took their seats once more. The sound of clinking utensils filled the silent cabin. Lara still had a lot on her mind and a thought occurred to her.

“Seto?”

“Hmm.”

“What did I say yesterday morning? You said I spoke in my sleep but wouldn't tell me what I said. So what was it?” She asked.

“Does it matter?” He replied, looking at her.

“I guess not, I'm just curious.”

“A lot has happened since yesterday. Just forget about it.” He instructed. She let it go for the moment, but she really wanted to know now that he refused to say what it was. Maybe now was not the time for trivialities though. There was a lot that they still had to do and Lara was adamant that she would be by Kaiba's side regardless of the action he wished to take.

“So since Roland has Matsuda, I'm assuming that's the first thing we take care of.” Lara said as she bit into her lunch.

“Yes. The sooner we take care of that, the sooner we can get Mokuba out of the panic room.” Kaiba replied.

“It's not just Mokuba in there you know.” Lara said gently.

“I know.”

“You haven't said a thing about Yugi.”

“What do you want me to say?” Kaiba growled.

“Well, how you feel might be a start, maybe what you intend on doing.” She replied.

“I've spent a long time with Mokuba being my only family. I don't need additions now.”

“I understand that, but it doesn't change the fact that he is family to you both. He's been pretty reliable as a friend Seto. Maybe give him a chance.”

“The problem is Yugi comes with tag-alongs.”

“That you have been around for years. That you have helped rescue a bunch of times and that you allow to be around Mokuba constantly. You know if you speak to Yugi and tell him that you are willing to try without his entourage, I think he'd be accommodating.” Lara stated.

“Maybe.”

“Seto, Yugi is in the position you once found yourself in. Yes, he may have friends and a livelihood, but he has no parents and no grandfather now. You and Mokuba are all the family he has. Look I'm not saying you have to have this close relationship immediately or even ever. What I am saying is take things slow, let him in and see how it goes.”

“I know you have a point Lara, but-”

“-But you have a lot to consider. I get that. There is another way to look at this. Mokuba likes Yugi, I like Yugi and you respect him. Surely that's at least a start. I think you both need to talk, you need to see what each other's expectations are.”

“Possibly.” Kaiba growled. “But this isn't my concern right now. I need to deal with that snake Ikeda before I bother myself with this nonsense.”

“What are you going to do?” Lara asked.

“Destroy him.” Kaiba said smoothly.

 

* * *

It was ten pm when their flight touched down. Kaiba held Lara's hand firmly as they existed the plane. Roland was already waiting for them. He opened the back door and stood aside as Lara and Kaiba climbed in, then he placed their bags in the boot, got into the driver's seat and headed to the mansion.

Kaiba was silent the entire ride back home. Lara saw the scowl etched on his face, she knew all he would be thinking about right now would be getting answers out of Matsuda. She prayed that he told Kaiba what he wanted to hear, otherwise, the night would not end well for the former bodyguard.

Lara squeezed Kaiba's hand in a reassuring gesture. He looked at her with his intense blue eyes that carefully hid his thoughts.

“Whatever happens in there, I'm with you.” Lara said quietly. Kaiba nodded his head but said nothing. The drive felt terribly slow and after what felt like eons, they arrived at the wrought iron gates of Kaiba's home. They swung open allowing Roland to smoothly drive towards the house. The moment the car stopped, Kaiba leapt out, striding towards the outbuilding that operated as the security team's office. Lara followed close behind with Roland running to catch up to his boss, who was on a mission.

Roland opened the door and stood aside for Kaiba to enter.

“Where is he?” Kaiba growled. At no point in the time that Lara had known Kaiba was she ever afraid of him, but the tone of his voice made her erupt in goose-bumps.

“In my office Mr Kaiba.” Roland answered as he ran ahead to unlock the door.

Kaiba stormed down the passage, striding into the room that held Matsuda. He was cuffed to a chair in the middle of the office. Kaiba made a beeline for the tall black-haired man. He pulled his right arm back then plunged his fist hard into Matsuda's solar plexus, winding him. He coughed and spluttered, gasping for air. Kaiba the grabbed his throat and pushed him against the backrest. There was a wild anger about him.

“You better start talking or your body will never leave this room.” Kaiba said harshly through gritted teeth.

“Seto.” Lara called, her voice was even.

“What?!”

“You’re going to kill him before we get any answers.” She stated. She gently held his free hand and pulled him away. Kaiba released his throat and rounded on Lara. “May I have a go first?” She asked him softly. Kaiba simply gestured towards Matsuda. Lara nodded and approached the man bound to the chair. She saw he was still gasping.

“So you must be in some serious discomfort. Can’t take a breath in, you feel like all the air keeps leaving, am I right? Maybe starting to see stars a little, light headed. You’re hoping this isn’t death, because it feels like a shit way to go.” She said plainly. Lara pulled a chair and sat in front of Matsuda. “Well, in a few minutes you’ll be fine. Now I think you better tell us about this allegiance to my brother. Start at the beginning and leave nothing out.” She crossed her arms and legs and waited for him to compose himself before he could answer. She heard Kaiba growl under his breath, clearly his patience was running out fast. Matsuda was finally able to take a breath.

“Answer her!” Kaiba roared making everyone jump.

“In August, I got a visit at my home from a man named Schwartz. He had a phone which he handed to me, it was Zigfried. He threatened to hurt my wife and son if I didn’t do exactly what he asked.” Matsuda said, wheezing slightly.

“And what did he ask?” Lara enquired.

“I had to bug the house, report everything that happened here, all routines, any safety protocols.” He said and Lara whipped around to look at Kaiba. He caught her eye but said nothing. “I had to, Schwartz was never far away from my family. I had sent Schwartz messages until yesterday morning when Roland…” Matsuda trailed off.

“I see.” Lara said. “What was the last thing you told him?”

“That Mokuba and Yugi were still in the house. They hadn’t yet come out but I couldn’t get anything on the bugs and I didn’t know why.”

“Right. And that’s it?” Lara quizzed.

“Yes.”

“So instead of coming to Kaiba, your boss, you decided you would just go along with Zigfried.” Lara accused harshly.

“It was my family! What would you do?”

“Go to Kaiba.” She said plainly. “You’ve worked for him for years. What would make you think that he couldn’t help? We could have protected your family and dealt with Zigfried!”

“You don’t know what he’s like!” Matsuda shouted.

“Don’t I?” Lara said in a steely tone, her eyes narrowed. “Lara von Schroeder could not possibly understand the monster that is her brother.” She said sarcastically. Matsuda simply looked away. “Seto Kaiba has bested Zigfried at every turn. I’m disgusted at your choices. I can empathize to a degree, but you were ridiculously stupid here. Your fate is now in his hands.” Lara said nodding her head in Kaiba’s direction.

“No! Please!” He pleaded. Matsuda was well aware of Kaiba’s temper, his power and his ruthlessness. After all, he had just begun working for Kaiba when Pegasus had taken Mokuba. He knew that Kaiba held Crockett hostage at gunpoint until Pegasus showed. Kaiba was never afraid to get his hands dirty, especially when he was wronged. Lara got off her chair and stood next to Kaiba, lacing her fingers in his. It was a show of unity but it was also to prevent Kaiba doing anything terribly violent.

“Roland!” Kaiba barked. “You know what I want done.” He growled threateningly.

“Yes, Mr Kaiba.” Roland responded.

A few men moved towards Matsuda, locking their arms around his elbows so he could not move.

“Please Mr Kaiba! Please don’t do this!” He begged. Kaiba looked down at him like a bug to be squashed under his boot.

“Seto, can I deal with him? I can prevent any bloodshed here.” She whispered.

“Fine. Ikeda is mine.” He said in a low, strained voice.

“Guys hold up.” Lara called. She walked up to Matsuda, looking him in the eye. “Matsuda, I’ll give you an out. Take your family and leave Domino. There is no life here for you or them, ever. I don’t want to see your hair in this city. Understand? Your wife has nothing here, your child will never study here, don’t come here for holidays, don’t even drive through this city on your journeys. If we hear so much as a whisper that you stepped foot in Domino, I will end you myself and I promise I will not be kind.” She said silkily. Matsuda stared at her unblinkingly. “Understand? Unless you prefer the alternative.” She taunted.

“I understand.”

“Good.” Lara replied. “One more thing, Zigfried is dead.” She stated and saw Matsuda’s eyes widen momentarily.

“I’ll be watching Matsuda. Roland, you heard Ms Schroeder.” Kaiba said menacingly.

“Yes sir.”

Kaiba practically flew into the house and up to his study. He moved the bookcase out the way in the same manner Mokuba had, by pulling out the green bound book, flicking the switch and standing back while the bookcase swung forward. He was greeted by sealed silver door. He flicked open a panel which revealed an iris scanner and fingerprint scanner similar to the one inside the panic room that Mokuba had used.

Kaiba bent down to peer into the lens then placed his thumb on the green rectangle and closed the panel door. There was an audible hiss and the heavy metal door slid open. Before Kaiba had even a moment to blink he was almost bowled over by Mokuba.

“Bro!” He exclaimed as he embraced his big brother.

“Are you okay Mokuba?” Kaiba asked hugging him back.

“I’m fine.” He replied pulling away. His eyes then landed on Lara and he pulled her into a bear hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“Me too.” Her voice was muffled. He released her but kept an arm wrapped around her shoulders. The others quickly filed out. Kaiba went in, shut down the computer and brought out Mokuba’s laptop before closing up the panic room and resetting the bookcase.

While the others greeted Lara, Yugi approached Kaiba who had placed Mokuba’s laptop on his table.

“Kaiba.” Yugi said in his timid tone.

“What is it?” Kaiba said in his typical way.

“I just want to say I’m glad you made it back safe.”

“Thank you Yugi.” His tone softened minutely.

“Also, thank you for keeping us safe. I really appreciate it.” Yugi said gratefully.

“Don’t mention it.” Kaiba drawled.

Lara watched the interaction between the two out the corner of her eye. The fact that Kaiba had not been at all snarky made her smile. She knew he would be impatient at the moment. He would want a moment to speak to Mokuba and there were far too many people around. She pulled away from Mokuba as she addressed everyone.

“Hey guys, let’s go get some coffee. I’m dying for a cup.” She said catching Kaiba’s eye.

“Count me in!” Joey exclaimed.

“After you guys.” Lara said, leaving the brothers alone to speak.

She followed the others down to the kitchen where she filled the water tank of the expensive coffee machine. It was now well past midnight and Lara was exhausted. This was easily the longest week of her life. She reached into the cupboard pulling out eight mugs. She placed the mugs one at a time under the spout and pressed the button that allowed the hot, strong aromatic coffee to flow out filling the porcelain vessels. She handed everyone each a cup, but left the two empty ones next to the machine for Mokuba and Kaiba. Lara joined everyone else at the kitchen counter, climbing onto the bar stool next to Yugi.

“Are you okay Yugi?” Lara asked softly.

“I am. It’s been quite a week.” He stated plainly.

“You can say that again. Don’t worry, we’ll straighten everything out. We just have one more hurdle to cross.”

“Kaiba does seem on edge.” Yugi said.

“He is. I think he may talk to you about everything when he’s ready. I don’t want to say anything out of turn. You know how he is about Kaiba Corp.”

“Yeah I do.” Yugi smiled. “Perhaps this was all destined to happen.”

“Really Yugi?!” Lara raised her eyebrow at him. Yugi held her gaze until Lara took a sip of coffee then placed her mug down. “I don’t believe in destiny. We make our own fate.”

“You sound just like Kaiba.” Tristan said. Lara shrugged in response.

“You have to admit Lara, the way everything played out is quite fantastical.” Tea stated.

“That is true but if we look at what got me here, it was my hard work that got me a job at KC. It was Zigfried planning on killing me that threw me in the brothers’ path. The rest were decisions Seto, Mokuba and I made to better the companies and be honest with each other. That doesn’t seem like destiny to me.”

Lara continued to chat to everyone, who were all visibly tired. She could only imagine what it would have been like for them to be kept in the dark the whole time, unable to get out. She heard voices come down the stairs, so she drained her mug and made Kaiba and Mokuba a cup of coffee each. She was just removing Kaiba’s mug from the machine when she felt him step up behind her. She handed him his blue mug which he accepted gratefully.

“I think it’s time I took my girl upstairs.” He said looking into her eyes with a smile that Yugi had only seen him wear once before, and that was when Kaiba tried to make a brainwashed Mokuba remember who he was, when he admitted that Mokuba had saved him. It was pure, softening his features. Kaiba wrapped an arm around Lara's waist leading her out of the kitchen.

“Night guys.” She called, ignoring the looks of utter shock on the faces of Tea, Mai, Tristan and Joey.

* * *

Lara closed the door to Kaiba's bedroom behind her. She took off her shoes and sighed as she sat on the edge of the bed, closing her eyes as she rubbed the sides of her neck. She could not remember the last time she was quite this tired and thinking of work the next day exhausted her more. There was still the issue of Ikeda. She felt strong hands pull her to her feet. She gazed at Kaiba's face which was a blank slate. There was far too much going on in his mind, but right now, he knew what he needed.

Kaiba slowly undid the buttons of her black shirt, slipping it off her shoulders and letting it fall to the floor. He then undid the button and zip on her jeans, dropping it to her feet and helping her step out of them. Lara kept her gaze fixed on his face. He was entirely focussed on what he was doing. He then unclasped her bra, sliding the straps off her shoulders, dropping it to the floor. Kaiba slid his warm hands between the fabric of her panties and her bare skin, slipping it over her hips which sent it falling. Kaiba tangled his fingertips in her hair with his thumbs caressing the sides of her face. He gently pressed his lips to hers, kissing her lightly at first but his kisses quickly became more urgent and impatient. She moaned into his mouth, parting her lips and allowing his tongue passage, dancing with hers. He pulled away first, panting slightly.

Lara undid the buckle on his pants and pulled it out the loops, tossing it to some unknown location on the floor. She untucked his black shirt and lifted it to remove it but fell short due to his height. He smirked and bent down, allowing her to take the turtle neck off. She quickly stripped him of the rest of his layers which littered the carpet in his room. He pulled her bare body against his, kissing her lightly on her forehead.

“Take a shower with me.” He said. Lara nodded and followed him into his cavernous en suite. They stepped under the jets of hot water, relaxing as it cascaded down their bodies.

Lara figured that Kaiba would have been taken to a dark place with Mokuba being threatened again. He would have been consumed by fear, hatred, anger not to mention the memories of old it would have brought along. She needed to lighten his burden, make him feel loved and cherished. She knew what feeling she craved growing up and in that moment, she had an idea.

“I want to try something. Trust me?” She asked lightly. Kaiba studied her for a moment before nodding. She squeezed a bit of shampoo into her hand and turned to Kaiba.

“I need you to bend down.” She said. He smiled guardedly but knelt in front of her regardless. Lara massaged the shampoo in his hair, creating a thick luxurious lather. She scraped her nails lightly against his scalp, she could tell he liked that. He was utterly still, but his eyes were closed and his lips tugged up at the corners in a small smile. Once she was satisfied, she pulled the telephone shower down, rinsing his hair but being careful not to get any water or shampoo in his face. She kissed the scar on his neck and asked him to stand up, to which he obeyed. Lara poured a bit of his shower gel on to her palms, rubbing them together. She then ran her soapy hands along his neck, his shoulders, down his arms, over his pecs and down his abdomen.

Lara had never taken care of anyone in this way before, but it filled her with so much happiness. No, it was more than happiness. There was no word she could think of that would adequately describe what she currently felt. Kaiba watched the small smile play on her lips as she went about lathering him up. He was in awe of Lara but being a man of few words, he could never bring himself to fully express everything he felt. Here was this beautiful woman who had been through hell with him over the past few days, she experienced things that would break the soul of most people, but here she was, trying to help him, be there for him in any way she could. She made him feel treasured and until that moment, he never knew that was the feeling he had missed in his life. Lara pulled him directly under the jets to get all the soap off him. Kaiba turned off the water and leaned her against the wet wall. He kissed her ravenously. She pushed off the tile that was quickly turning cold, pulling away from his lips then grabbed two towels off the rack, handing one to him.

They dried off and while she was wrapping her towel around her body, she felt Kaiba's arms snake around her waist. He buried his head in the crook of her neck.

“I need you.” He whispered gruffly. She turned around to face him noticing his bangs still dripped a little. She swept them away from his forehead, Kaiba could bear it no longer.

He picked her up wrapping her legs around his waist, taking her back into his bedroom where he lay her down on the bed. He pulled her towel away before dropping his and climbing over her, caging her with his arms. He stared into the depths of her bright green eyes; eyes that brought calm to his world, eyes that showed him how much she loved him. A love that he was finally able to accept.

“You said you love me.” Kaiba said in a low voice. Lara looked at him with confusion evident on her face. “In your sleep.”

“And you didn't want to tell me until I said it.” She smiled. He nodded in reply. Lara fully understood his reason and was even grateful to him for keeping it from her. It also made her indescribably happy that he felt comfortable enough to say something like that to her. She knew how negative he could be and this admission would have made him feel even more naked to her.

“I love you Seto Kaiba.” She whispered. He closed the gap between them crushing his lips to hers.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I once fell off my bike and landed with my solar plexus smacking into the tyre of my cousin’s bike, so I know what Matsuda was experiencing first hand lol. Who knew that experience would be useful one day? :P


	31. Checkmate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've reached the penultimate chapter :( I'm considering doing a sequel at some point in the future but we'll see. In the meantime I hope you enjoy the second last chapter :)

 

Kaiba had arrived earlier than usual at Kaiba Corp. He left a soundly sleeping Lara in his bed, hoping she would read his letter and take heed of his advice. Knowing her as well as he did though, he wondered what time he would see her. The image of her naked back with the covers carelessly tossed over her waist, her raven hair fanning out on the pillow that she hugged played over in his mind. He watched her sleep for ages before leaving; it was this thought of her that strengthened his resolve. He had set his plan into motion the day before but there was a fair amount he still needed to do in order to deal with Ikeda. He told Lara that he would destroy him and that was exactly what he planned to do, in every way possible.

Kaiba's hacking skills had been honed from a young age, in fact there was only one person who had the potential to rival him, and he was killed two days before.

His fingers flew over the keys as he launched his attack on everything Ikeda held dear. He was thoroughly pleased with himself, after this, there would be no coming back. There was just one thing left to do.

His PA's voice crackled through the speaker informing him that she had arrived.

“I want Ikeda in my office at nine and get his wife on the line.” He instructed her.

“Right away Mr Kaiba.” She replied.

Kaiba wanted Ikeda's wife present for the fireworks. She was an attractive woman, smart and well put together. He could tell she had come from money when he first met her, but she had a moral compass that differed from the other trophy wives that were married to his board of directors. It was not long before his phone rang.

“Mr Kaiba, Mrs Ikeda on the line.” The PA said before patching the call through.

“Kaiba.” He answered authoritatively.

“Good morning Mr Kaiba. What can I do for you?” She asked clearly confused by the fact that Kaiba wanted to speak to her at all.

“It's more what I can do for you.” Kaiba said.

* * *

Lara stirred from her sleep. The warm white comforter was tucked cosily around her naked body. She slowly opened her eyes, seeing bright white sunlight streaming into the room. It took a moment for her to realize where she was. She reached over only to find the bed empty. Her brain then kicked into gear and she sat bolt upright.

“Fuck! What’s the time?”

She grabbed her phone off the bedside table and saw that it was nine eighteen. She was so very, very late. Lara ran her fingers through her hair then noticed the folded over page on Kaiba’s pillow. She opened it to reveal his distinctive writing.

 

_Lara_

_I suggest you stay here for the day. Rest. I will be back in time for dinner._

_In case you decide to disobey me, and I’m assuming you will, your car keys are hanging with mine._

_Seto_

 

She realized then that it was he that switched off her alarm. She chuckled as she reread his note. Of course she would be going to the office. She would not let him go through this day alone, especially since he planned on taking care of Ikeda. In addition, she knew she had a mountain of work to do. They had upped and left in such a hurry that she had not completed her tasks for the previous week and she still had a game to get out before Christmas.

She showered quickly and dressed in black pants, a royal blue top, blue stiletto pumps and a heavy grey coat. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail, applied a little more makeup than usual to hide the dark circles around her eyes, then picked up her handbag and left the room. She rushed down the stairs heading to the large garage. Lara opened the cabinet that held the various keys quickly spotting hers. She pressed the unlock button, opened up the garage door and rolled the car down to the gates. The guards quickly let her out allowing her to peel rubber towards Kaiba Corp.

* * *

At precisely nine o'clock, Ikeda was being shown into Kaiba's office. He was tall, though still shorter than Kaiba, with greying hair and a slight paunch betraying his luxurious lifestyle. He stood before Kaiba's desk until he was told to sit. Kaiba studied the man under his intense glare.

“We have a lot to discuss Ikeda.” His voice was low, barely concealing the malevolence beneath.

“What about Mr Kaiba? Reports aren't due or another few weeks.” He stated and Kaiba smirked, it was cold and threatening. Ikeda sitting in front of him brought forth the full effect of his immense rage.

“Which reports would that be?” Kaiba asked smoothly. “My financial reports or your reports to Zigfried von Schroeder?”

Ikeda's eyes widened immediately, surprise and fear flashed in his narrow brown eyes.

“Mr Kaiba... I...” Ikeda stuttered.

“You what?” Kaiba asked angrily.

“Please Mr Kaiba, have mercy.” Ikeda pleaded, a bead of sweat dripped from his temple.

It took all of Kaiba's self-control not to leap off his seat and attack the man before him. He held himself in place knowing the measures he took were adequate.

“Mercy?” He bellowed. “What mercy would Zigfried have shown?”

“Please! He blackmailed me!”

“Oh, I know. You see at first I noticed small deviations, but nothing really gets past me. Crump taught you well, but like Crump you forgot who I am. No one steals from me and no one endangers my family. You know what comes next.” Kaiba said in a cruel, deliberate way.

“I beg you, I have a wife.”

“Correction, you had a wife.” Kaiba emphasized the “had”. He pressed the button for the intercom. “Send her in.” He instructed. The door almost immediately opened and Ikeda's wife strode in taking a seat next to her husband. She refused to look at him.

“Sakura, what are you doing here?” Ikeda asked.

“I invited her.” Kaiba interrupted harshly. “I have informed her of all your transgressions, I thought she should bear witness to your destruction.” He said cruelly.

“Mr Kaiba, please. All I did was tell him a few office rumours-”

“That almost got us killed.” Kaiba yelled, his eyes blazing. “Here's what's going to happen. You will no longer work at Kaiba Corp., in fact, you will not be working in Domino, you won't be leaving this city either.”

“You can't!” Ikeda exclaimed, understanding the implications of what Kaiba had done.

“I can and I have.” Kaiba said silkily. “There isn't a company in this city that doesn't know you stole from me. No one will touch you.”

“But... Sakura?” Ikeda looked pleadingly at his wife for an answer.

“Don't look at her. She's not your wife.”

“What?! You don't have that kind of power!” Ikeda shouted.

“Of course I do!” Kaiba snorted derisively.

“Sakura? How?”

“You were never married.” Kaiba said frankly. “There isn't a single record of this. Additionally, I invite you to take a look at your bank balances.”

“No. You wouldn't.” Ikeda whispered.

“I would.” Kaiba retorted.

“You can't do this! This is my life! You just can't! Not for a bit of money and some rumours!” Ikeda yelled as he pushed to his feet.

“You will find I can do what I want in this town Ikeda. You would do well to remember that.” Kaiba spoke in a voice that was a register lower than he usually did. His tone was deadly, efficiently carrying the weight of his ire. “I will make sure you die a pauper for what you've done. And you!” Kaiba snapped his gaze to Ikeda's wife. “Don't look at him with pity. He made a fool of you every time he set foot out your door.” Kaiba spun his laptop around to face her. He played footage taken from the cameras at one of the Kaiba Corp. events. It showed Ikeda being very inappropriate with an intern. His wife looked hurt, angry and betrayed but she never lost her composure as she watched her husband's hand travel under the skirt of the young woman on screen.

“It goes a bit further than that but you get the point.” Kaiba said to Sakura. “Ikeda. I've taken away your career, your reputation, your wealth and your family. Try me again, and I will take your life.” Kaiba threatened. Ikeda stood there, dumbstruck. There was not a thing he could do against Seto Kaiba. “Now you really have followed in Crump's footsteps. Get out!”

Ikeda opened his mouth to say something but promptly closed it before turning on his heel, striding out the office.

“Mr Kaiba...” Sakura started but Kaiba spoke over her.

“Every last dime he had has been moved into an account in your name. You're a wealthy woman, you won't have to suffer for losing that imbecile as your husband.” He growled.

She sighed, thanked Kaiba and left his office.

* * *

Lara parked her car in her usual bay and quickly entered the Kaiba Corp. building. Luck was on her side as the lift was on the ground floor, she rushed in, hitting the button for her floor and waited for it to slowly ascend. It was already ten fifteen, she had never been this late to work before. The metal box came to a halt and the doors slowly slid open. She walked up to her office, surprising Natsumi as she did so.

“Ms Schroeder! Mr Kaiba said not to expect you.”

“I had a change of heart. Who needs a day off?” Lara joked. She opened the door to her large office and took her seat behind the large glass desk.

She switched on her pc, opened her email program and waited while an avalanche of emails poured in. She knew she would not be productive until she saw Kaiba. Lara needed to know what had happened with Ikeda. She lifted the receiver of her phone and dialled Kaiba's direct extension, bypassing his PA.

“Kaiba.” Came his distracted growl of a greeting.

“Hey Seto. Has it been done yet?” She asked.

“Yes. Come up to my office.” He instructed.

“On my way.” She responded. Lara placed the phone receiver back in its cradle and took the stairs up to Kaiba's office. She stopped to greet his PA before opening the door and walking in.

“Hey Seto.” She greeted as she took her seat in front of him.

“How did you sleep?” He smirked.

“Like the dead. I don't know if I should thank you or kill you. I've never been this late before.” She laughed.

“I told you to stay in and I am the boss.” He drawled. She just rolled her eyes at him.

“You're in a good mood. I take it things went well with Ikeda then.” She said simply.

“You could say that.” He proceeded to tell her how he had systematically altered and deleted all the various pieces of data relating to Ikeda. In the end, destroying him had been child's play.

“Wow! Nice touch with the wife. I suppose it's a good thing he doesn't have kids then.” Lara said.

“She can start over. I don't really care what happens to them.” Kaiba said harshly.

“Well, I suppose that's the lot of them. Now we can get on with our lives.” She said softly. “It will be nice to not have to look over our shoulders so much.”

“Lara, you're with me now. Nothing can touch you.” Kaiba said with grim determination. Lara smiled at him but was cut off by her ringing phone before she could respond. She looked at the caller ID, it was a German number.

“Lara, hello?” She answered.

“Guten tag, Ms Schroeder. This is major Brandt.”

“How are you?” Lara asked.

“I am well. I have called with some serious news. Annette von Schroeder is dead.” He informed.

“What?!” Lara exclaimed. “How?”

“Do you mean to tell me you know nothing of this?” He asked, suspicion plain in his voice.

“No! Of course not! What happened?” She asked. She caught Kaiba's eye and mouthed the words _“Annette's dead”_ to him. She then put her phone on speaker and placed it on his table.

“She overdosed on diazepam. We also found a small, empty bottle of whiskey in her cell.”

“Oh. I suppose that's why you're suspicious of me. Well, I had nothing to do with it. I'm in Domino and I haven't dealt with anyone in Germany outside of the group at the castle. My family had many enemies, that's no secret. Plus, with all the media coverage, it could have been any number of people. When did you find the body?”

“You have a point but I will be investigating this. We found the body thirty minutes ago but it looks like she's been dead for at least four or five hours.”

“Investigate as much as you'd like but when you've found nothing to trace it back to us, I expect you to issue Ms von Schroeder with an apology.” Kaiba interjected tersely.

“Mr Kaiba, we have processes we have to follow.”

“Don’t forget our agreement.” Kaiba warned.

“I haven’t. Ms Schroeder, I will be in touch.” The major hung up and Lara was quickly dialling another number.

 

The phone rang for a long time before it was answered by a very sleepy voice.

“Klaus. I need you to be awake.” Lara said sharply.

“Lara? I'm listening.” He said gruffly.

“I've just received word that Annette is dead. I need you to get the exclusive. Run the story before anyone else. There is a scoop here.”

“Got it. Any angle you want us to take?”

“Run the breaking news as is. That's easy. Do a feature afterwards. The truth is best, Annette and Zigfried can't dispute anything. Keep Leon out of it. Understood?”

“Yes. I'm on it Lara.”

“Good. Do not let anyone get the jump on us.” She instructed.

“I won't.”

“Danke.” She said and hung up.

Lara looked up at Kaiba who was studying her intently.

“I suppose that's that. One less Schroeder in the world.” She said. Her voice was devoid of emotion.

“You know who did it.” There was no question or accusation from Kaiba. Merely a statement.

“I do, but I won't sell him out.”

“Dreyer.” Kaiba figured and Lara nodded.

“It's how she died. I can't call him to confirm. It would look far too suspicious and the less we know about it, the better.”

“Are you okay?” Kaiba asked.

“I am.” She smiled. “Anyway, I should get back to work. There's so much to do.” She walked around the desk, facing Kaiba as she leaned against the edge of his table. “Shall we go out to dinner tonight? The three of us.”

“I'd prefer dining at home.” Kaiba drawled. “You'll be staying there in any case.”

“I will?” Lara asked teasingly.

“Yes, you will.” Kaiba said firmly. He got off his chair to stand before her; she drew herself to her full height as he brushed a strand of hair away from her face. He wrapped one arm around her waist and the other held the side of her face.

“You don't play fair.” She whispered. He smirked as he leaned down, kissing her deeply. She melted against him. His kisses were intoxicating. There was a quick knock on the door and Kaiba's PA entered instantly without waiting for an invitation. He broke the connection their lips as both Lara and Kaiba turned to look at the flustered woman at the door.

“Please forgive the intrusion, I'll just wait outside.” She hurried out the door and Lara chuckled at the murderous glare on Kaiba's face.

“You don’t need to fire her, I'll sort that out.” She laughed. “I'll see you at home later.”

“Lara, before you go, there is something I wanted to give you.” Kaiba said opening his attaché. He pulled out a wad of envelopes and handed them to Lara. She took them from him, flipping through the various stuffed envelopes. Lara could not breathe, this was more than she could ever hope to have.

“When did you…?”

“While you were with Zigfried’s body. I had them in my jacket pocket.” Kaiba responded watching her closely.

“I don’t know what to say. Thank you isn’t enough.” She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. “I had no idea these letters existed until a few days ago. They’re like the missing link in my life Seto. It’s proof that my father loved my mother.”

Kaiba held her until she was ready to let go.

“I love you.” She whispered.

Lara left Kaiba's office with a small smile playing on her lips. She closed the heavy wooden door behind her before she approached his assistant.

“Ms Schroeder, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to interu-”

“It's fine. Just please keep this to yourself. We're not ready to share this with anyone yet and you know he will react badly to any stories being spread.” Lara said evenly.

“I understand.”

Lara headed back down to her office where she spent the rest of the day working. She pulled in the managers to get everyone working on the final game. They were so close to the release date and had so much to do. She made sure everyone was split into teams with different objectives. They only had a handful of days to get all their promo and marketing material produced and distributed. It was well after seven when Lara was done, having made sure that all the teaser posts and promotional videos were circulating on social media. For the most part, she had completed her task, but she would still oversee this last project, stepping in if she felt she needed to.

Lara slipped on her coat, grabbed her belongings and headed out of her office, switching off the light as she left. The drive to the Kaiba mansion was the most relaxed she had ever had. She felt like a massive weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She could not remember a time that she felt this buoyant.

Lara arrived before Kaiba had. She parked her car in the space he had allocated for her; she entered the house making her way up to Kaiba's bedroom. She took off her shoes and hung up her coat then made her way back downstairs. Mokuba was in the lounge flicking through the myriad of channels for something to watch.

“Hey Mokes.”

“Hi Lara. You look beat.” Mokuba observed.

“I am. Mind if I join you?” She asked.

“Of course not.” He extended his arm out as an invitation to sit with him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his chest. “I spoke to Seto, he told me everything. I'm so glad you're okay.” Mokuba said.

“I wouldn't be if it wasn't for Seto.” Lara replied.

“Welcome to the club.” Mokuba snorted. “Still, I am a bit glad Zigfried and Annette can't hurt us any more.”

“That makes two of us.”

Silence descended upon Lara and Mokuba as they unseeingly watched whatever was on the large flat-screen. It was a comfortable silence but Lara felt she had to say something to Mokuba. She pulled out of Mokuba's embrace so she could look at him as she spoke, but she held firmly onto his hand.

“Mokuba, there is something I wanted to say to you. There is a massive difference in the Lara that came to Domino City and the Lara that sits with you now and you, and your brother, are the reasons for that, so I want to say thank you. You will never fully understand how much you've helped me over the past few months. I mean yesterday was different. The old Lara would not have looked for the peaceful way out. Seto would have had Matsuda killed and I would have been a willing participant in that. You’ve brought a light to my very dark soul Mokuba. I've honestly got to the point where I cannot remember what life was like without you. I hope you know how special you are to me. You are more than a little brother. You and Seto are so much more than family.” She finished. Mokuba pulled her into a hug.

“We love you Lara.” He said.

“I love you both too.” She said, her voice muffled by Mokuba's shoulder. They heard the door and broke their loving embrace.

“Sounds like Seto's home.” Mokuba said.

The two of them made their way to the dinner table where they waited for Kaiba to join them. He soon arrived at the table sitting down to a delicious meal with the two most important people in his life. They were in good spirits, laughing and chatting in a way that seemed almost alien to them. They had been so tense for so long, it was a rare, wonderful night in the Kaiba household.

After dinner, Lara informed the brothers that she was going to take a shower. The hot jets of water felt heavenly on her tired body. She washed away the remnants of her makeup, lathered up and rinsed off, allowing the scent of lotus to permeate through the bathroom. She shut the water, dried of quickly and slipped on a luxurious, long, white satin chemise with dark blue lace detail around the neck and along the high slit at her left leg.

She headed back downstairs where she heard the faint notes of a familiar song. She walked up behind Kaiba who had the remote in his hand for the audio system.

“Por Una Cabeza.” Lara said. Kaiba turned around, tossing the remote onto the seat and holding his hand out to her, palm up as an invitation to dance with him. She looked at his upturned palm, surprise clear on her face. She never once imagined Kaiba would ask her to dance. She did not even know if he could dance but after tonight, she would never question that. She smiled as she placed her hand in his. He spun her out, she twirled forward as he strode with her, grace and power in their every step. She wrapped her arm around his neck, the other was caught in his hand in a firm but gentle grip. Their hips moved together as he led her around in perfect staccato steps, dominant in this tango with his perfect equal. Their bodies moved in time to the music, Lara wrapping her leg around his waist as he leaned her down then spun her out, controlling how far she could go. His blue eyes blazed with love, lust, sensual longing, pouring it all out in this little bubble of dance with Lara.

Unbeknownst to them, the head maid and butler had just stepped out onto the dimly lit balcony that overlooked the downstairs area. They watched in awe as their normally curt, cantankerous boss now danced with an easy grace, there was no hint of his usual anger around him. Mokuba stepped out of his room and walked towards the stairs but the maid held a finger to her lips and pointed at Lara and Kaiba. Mokuba watched open mouthed. It had been a long time since he saw his brother with all his shields down. He watched as his brother dipped Lara over his leg then lifted her off her feet and she slid down his body snapping back up to step in his hold.

They danced around the room, striding in perfect synchronicity, with equal power and equal emotion; prisoners to the beat of the music. He pushed her away and she twirled back towards him, placing her leg on his shoulder as he spun her around. He set her back on her feet as their legs slid out behind them, dipping them low, they held onto each other as they snapped back up into an embrace. She half spun away but he pulled her back sharply against his body, wrapping her legs around his waist as he lifted her. She held him in a close embrace then arched back suddenly as the final note rang out.

Lara pulled herself back up, fiercely hugging him. Every emotion they felt over the past few months, all the tension, dissipating from them; cast away in this explosive moment between them.

They say the Argentine Tango is an improvised dance and it was never more true than right now between Lara and Kaiba.

Their silent audience quietly walked away, all three of them had a smile painted on their faces. The maid and butler had seen Kaiba at his most terrible and now they saw him at his very best. The grin plastered on Mokuba's face would not easily be removed. He was so entirely happy for his brother. He would never have seen Kaiba do this before Lara. It was well out of character for him but Mokuba knew he had Lara to thank for it. She had started to heal his broken soul and tonight, it was more evident than ever.

Kaiba put Lara down, they were both a little out of breath from their graceful exertions. He ran his fingertips down her arms sending a shiver down her spine. They closed the distance between their lips, lovingly kissing each other.

“Well that was unexpected.” She smiled. Kaiba smirked at her in response which stopped her heart like it always did.


	32. New Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm sad to say that we are at the end :( I've really enjoyed writing this story and I really hope that you have all enjoyed reading it :) There may be a sequel in the future but I'm currently writing a different story so that one will have to be finished first. So, here you go, the last chapter...

**A/N: I'm sad to say that we are at the end :( I've really enjoyed writing this story and I really hope that you have all enjoyed reading it :) There may be a sequel in the future but I'm currently writing a different story so that one will have to be finished first. So, here you go, the last chapter...**

* * *

Chapter 32 New Beginnings

Lara spent the rest of the week with Kaiba and Mokuba. They had been through a lot and their workload was suffocating, it was comforting to all three of them to come home to a family. During the course of the week, Mokuba had taken his group of friends out for drinks. He had explained all that had happened but was careful to leave out exactly how Kaiba and Lara dealt with Matsuda and Ikeda.

The gang had come to accept Lara, even Mai had to a certain degree. Going through this ordeal with the Kaibas, seeing Mokuba's relationship with her and more especially, seeing how Kaiba had interacted with Lara, put to bed any doubts any of them could have had. Mai was not overly fond of Lara still, but she would tolerate her for the sake of the group.

The Schroeder Corp. buyout had at long last been finalized. Kaiba wasted no time in changing the name as well as the logo to Lara's great pleasure. She hated that lilac rose and it would finally be gone.

Lara also had her work cut out for her with the press. The news of Zigfried's death was splashed worldwide and with Annette passing away shortly after, Lara found herself fielding more calls than ever before. She had issued a press release explaining their presence in Germany at the time of Zigfried's demise. It had stated that Lara's presence was required as sentencing was to commence and Kaiba wished to be there as the current head of Schroeder Corp. No one knew of the exact events.

At the end of the week Kaiba called Lara up to his office. She took a seat opposite him with Mokuba sitting ankle over knee on the large couch. Kaiba tossed a wad of paper and a pen to her side of the table. The top page read "Share Purchase Agreement".

"That's your eight percent." Kaiba drawled. "The agreement was if the acquisition went smoothly and you proved yourself on the board, I would consider it and I have."

"Thank you Seto." She said as she read through the documentation.

"There are no clauses to worry you." He smirked, and she rolled her eyes. Everything was pretty standard. All that was left for her to do was to initial all the pages and sign at the end. Kaiba had already done so and Mokuba had already initialled and signed as a witness. Purchasing eight percent of Kaiba Corp. costed her a pretty penny, but it was worth it. She had completely tied herself to this company. She handed the signed document back to Kaiba who had instructed his PA to make a copy. He kept the original and handed Lara the copy which was still warm from the copier.

"Your stock certificate will be handed to you as soon as payment for the shares have cleared." Kaiba informed her.

"Thank you." She smiled.

"So how does it feel?" Mokuba asked.

"How does what feel?" Lara enquired.

"You're practically a Kaiba now. You hold the most number of shares apart from Seto and myself."

"Does that make me almost a Kaiba?" She laughed.

"More or less. Other things count too." He teased.

"Oh Mokuba!" She playfully admonished. "I do appreciate this though. It's a real show of confidence and I will not let either of you down. This company is tied to my fate as well now."

"Yes. Kaiba Corp. must always come first." Kaiba growled.

"Agreed."

Lara spent a little while longer in Kaiba's office discussing the future as well as reporting how well the various releases had gone.

That night she got home later than expected. She was surprised to see Yugi at the mansion. Mokuba sat with him in the lounge, chatting merrily. She joined the two boys and soon heard Kaiba arrive. Mokuba had invited Yugi for dinner it was the first step they would take to establish a relationship, hopefully one that close cousins would have.

Mokuba showed Yugi to the dining room. They took their seats waiting for Kaiba to join them at the head of the table. Mokuba sat to his right with Yugi next to him and Lara sat on his left. Kaiba looked tired as he took his seat.

"Yugi." Kaiba greeted.

"Hi Kaiba." Yugi replied timidly.

"Tough day?" Lara asked.

"Hmm. Please tell me the release is going as planned." Kaiba growled.

"Yeah. Everything is on track." Lara replied.

"Good." Kaiba said pinching the bridge of his nose. Lara knew he was taking strain and all three of them were looking forward to the end of the festive season.

Their meal of slow roasted venison served with vegetables was placed on the table before them. The butler poured an aromatic Pinot Noir in their four glasses and left them to their dinner. The dining room was filled with the sound of easy going conversation. Kaiba seemed rather relaxed despite having Yugi there.

"Yugi." Kaiba started as dessert was served. "The Kame Game Shop, how has business been going?"

"Umm, okay I suppose. We seem to have a fairly steady income." Yugi replied.

"How many branches do you have?" Kaiba enquired. Lara and Mokuba looked at each other, both a little surprised.

"Three at the moment."

"If you wish, I can assist you to increase revenue generated from the stores. You could even look at expanding further." Kaiba drawled. It then clicked to Lara that Kaiba was making an effort with Yugi in the way he knew best. Business was a game Kaiba was great at and helping Yugi this way would show an acceptance of him in Kaiba's life. It would still allow him the distance he needed to feel comfortable.

"Really?! That would be great Kaiba. Thank you!"

"First we need to generate some hype around your brand. I have a Game of the Year edition release scheduled for early next year. I will give you the exclusive for it in Domino."

"That's a great idea Seto!" Mokuba chirped. "What do you think Lara?"

"I agree with you Mokes. We should also help get you a good start on a marketing team." Lara said.

"I will have one of my teams assist you until Lara finds the time to put a team together specifically for Kame. I will need to have a look at your business model Yugi." Kaiba said.

"I don't know what to say. This is so generous. I will have everything you need sent to you." Yugi said gratefully.

"You don't have to say anything Yugi. You're family now." Mokuba grinned.

"Solomon Motou was a good man. His legacy should thrive." Kaiba said plainly as if he had not heard his brother.

"Thank you. You know he admired you." Yugi said, his eyes shining.

Kaiba snorted. "I find that hard to believe."

"He did. He forgave you. He used to say you had moxie, that you were a 'tenacious young man'." Yugi smiled. Kaiba shrugged in response.

* * *

True to his word, Kaiba had greatly assisted Yugi over the week that had followed. He had said that Yugi's business was ridiculously easy to understand and that helping Yugi was child's play. Lara knew that to be true, but she also knew that due to Kaiba's great intellect, there were very few things that were not easy for him. Still, she was not sure where he found the time since they had their office Christmas party that Friday as well. Christmas was not a massive event in Japan but due to the number of employees from foreign countries, Kaiba Corp. usually held an event.

Lara and Kaiba had decided to attend the event together. With their relationship going as strong as it had been, they knew they would have to go public at some point. They did not want to make a massive announcement and Lara suggested that they simply attend as a couple. People would draw inferences from that alone and Kaiba agreed. It also helped that there would be no reporters at the event.

* * *

Kaiba waited for Lara at the foot of the staircase. She slipped on her shoes, grabbed her purse and made her way down. Kaiba's breath caught as she descended the stairs. She wore a striking blue dress, the same shade as his eyes. It had long sleeves, sticking to her body like a second skin before draping loosely from her hips. She had a simple long silver necklace that fell midway down her torso, with matching earrings hanging off her lobes. Her hair was very loosely curled and pulled over her right shoulder. Her makeup was done lightly in shades of gold and bronze with a matte red lip. She smiled openly as she gracefully walked towards Kaiba who was a vision in a black suit.

"You look amazing!" Lara gushed earning her a smile from Kaiba.

He placed his hand on her back to lead her out of the house but made her turn around when his hand caressed bare skin. Her dress was backless. It exposed her light skin all the way down to the small of her back where the blue fabric met at a point. It was flawless. Lara could tell from Kaiba's face that he liked it.

"You like?" She smiled as she turned back around.

"I do." He said darkly, lightly running his thumb down the bare skin of her back.

Their limo pulled up to the massive event hall at Kaibaland, the only venue that could adequately hold the number of people that would be attending.

Kaiba climbed out of the vehicle first then held his hand out for Lara. She accepted his offered hand, elegantly exiting the limo. She wrapped her arm in his and entered the venue. She immediately felt the eyes of every person land on her. Lara and Kaiba walked to the table that Mokuba sat at with his date. Kaiba pulled out the clear tiffany chair for her, showing off his chivalrous manners.

"Hey Mokes."

"Finally! You guys took forever." Mokuba complained.

"We're still early Mokuba." Kaiba drawled.

"Yes, but I was earlier than you and I had to wait." Mokuba retorted.

Everyone watched the interactions between Lara and Kaiba. Never had anyone seen him with a date before and they definitely had never seen him so comfortable, the ever-present scowl absent from his features.

Soon it was time for Kaiba to address his employees, reflecting on the year that had passed. Lara listened with rapt attention. She watched the man she loved with pride and would occasionally catch his eye as he spoke with authority. A lot had happened this year for her personally which in turn made it a remarkable year for Kaiba Corp. as well. Kaiba drew his speech to a close which ended with huge applause from the people in the hall.

He took his seat once more leaning towards Lara as she placed a small, chaste kiss on his cheek. The meal was served and the party began but Kaiba and Lara remained seated as they chatted to the board of directors. He sat ankle over knee with his left arm draped over the back of Lara's chair. Her right hand was placed on his thigh and he placed his right hand over hers. These little gestures were noticed by everyone.

There was a lull in conversation and Kaiba leaned in whispering in Lara's ear as his left hand travelled up to the back of her neck.

"I can't wait to get you home." Never had seven words held so much carnal promise. His voice made butterflies unfurl in her belly.

"Well, we're not needed here any longer." She smirked.

"You really want me to peel you out of that dress, don't you?"

"God yes." She laughed.

The two of them bid everyone a good night and told Mokuba they would see him later. He nodded, winking at Lara as they left.

The ride home took far too long for Lara's liking, but Kaiba more than made up for it in the bedroom, creating a night she would not easily forget.

* * *

Sunday brought Christmas Eve. Lara returned to the mansion after having run a few errands and was sure she walked into the wrong house. There was a massive Christmas tree in the lounge, complete with wooden angels.

"Do you like it?" Mokuba asked practically bouncing with glee.

"I love it!" Lara laughed. "I didn't think you guys celebrated Christmas."

"We don't, but you do." He smiled.

"Oh Mokuba!" Lara hugged him hard.

"I thought you could have a small piece of Germany here." He said sheepishly.

"You really are wonderful." She stood admiring the tree with her arms wrapped around his waist.

"Lara, you should give Leon a call. It's Christmas and he's just buried his mother and brother." Mokuba said gently.

"You're right. I will." Lara replied.

"If Seto wasn't set on ripping his head off, I'd say invite him here but…" Mokuba trailed off and Lara laughed.

"Mokes, I'm willing to talk to him but I'm not willing to spend time with him. Not yet at least."

That afternoon Lara called Leon. It was a short conversation with her wishing him well, they reminisced a little but ultimately, it was very strained.

Lara spent the rest of the afternoon with Mokuba. Kaiba finally made an appearance at dinner, having completed his work. The three of them then retired to the lounge, enjoying a little family time. Kaiba sat on the loveseat with his back against the cushions and his long legs propped up on the arm rest, Lara lay between his legs with her back against his chest and Mokuba sprawled his tall frame over a couch to himself.

They had a roaring fire going as they watched the movie Mokuba had settled on. A maid brought in a tray with three glass mugs filled with a steaming red liquid that smelled of Yuletide. She handed each of them a mug, bowed then left.

"You're kidding me?! Gluehwein!" Lara exclaimed.

"We thought you may want a taste of home." Mokuba smiled.

"Oh Mokie! I love you guys!" Lara said happily. Mokuba's eyes lit up at the nickname, Kaiba noticed. It had been a long time since he had said it and it warmed his cold heart to hear the name come from Lara, especially when she knew nothing of the history of it.

"I take it this takes you back." Kaiba drawled.

"You have no idea. I wasn't old enough to drink but I'd still have gluehwein in front of the fireplace with my father." Lara smiled fondly at the memory. She took a tentative sip, it was as if Christmas had exploded in her mouth. "So good! This has been the best Christmas Eve since… well that I can remember."

Mokuba gave his brother a pointed look, Kaiba nodded imperceptibly and his little brother focussed his attention on the screen. Kaiba took Lara's mug from her and placed both his and hers on the coffee table, then reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a box that he handed to Lara who remained against his chest.

"Seto! I thought we agreed no gifts! I didn't get you guys anything." Lara said in embarrassment.

"You've given us everything." He said lowly. "Open it."

Mokuba now watched with keen interest. Kaiba looked over her shoulder as she opened the box to reveal a set of newly made keys. They were keys to the Kaiba home.

"Move in." Kaiba said gruffly with his chin on her shoulder. She turned around to face him, he looked at her with earnestness in his eyes. He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as he waited for her response.

"Okay." She smiled and he pulled face towards him, kissing her ardently. He bathed her in a glorious smile as he pulled away.

"I'll make the arrangements to have your belongings moved." Kaiba said.

"I'm so happy you agreed!" Mokuba said excitedly. "I love having you here."

Kaiba held Lara tightly against him for the rest of the movie.

"By the way, we're on leave for the next week. So think of what you want to do." Kaiba smirked.

"I know exactly what I want to do." Lara chuckled.

"Guys, get a room." Mokuba teased.

The night passed in great spirits. Lara had finally made a home for herself, one filled with love and light. She did not know what was to come, but all she knew was that nothing could touch her happiness with Kaiba and Mokuba.

*end*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The following music has inspired thoughts, entire chapters or even small details.
> 
> Muse:
> 
> Showbiz
> 
> Escape
> 
> Hysteria
> 
> Space Dementia
> 
> Imagine Dragons:
> 
> Thunder – Lara
> 
> Believer – Kaiba
> 
> The Vamps:
> 
> Somebody to You
> 
> Maroon 5:
> 
> This Love
> 
> Sarah Bareilles:
> 
> Brave


End file.
